The Colours of Athens: No.3 Wine and Basil

A staircase leading down into a swirl of sounds and smells is too intriguing to walk past.
The sweet and unmistakable scent of basil is the first of many aromas to wash over the diner as they enter into a world almost completely gone from the streets and neighbourhoods of Athens.
The basement space is filled with very old large wooden wine barrels full of white wine (lefko), tables, chairs, diners, plates of honest, old school Greek food,
and metal karafes which are placed on small disks of ice to help the wine cool down.

The colours of terracotta and green, are popping out of this whitewashed space which only sees a suggestion of direct sunlight. It is a blissful situation.

Rome : PMS 1355, 197, 1365, 199, 158, 157, 137, 142, 143, 128, 130.

The golden and eternal city. The beautiful metropolis.

An extensive colour audit of the ancient town of Roma resulted in the selection of  pantone colours, and they are:

1355, 197, 1365, 199, 158, 157, 137, 142, 143, 128, 130. 

Roma: The movement of the continuous life and energy
blurs the edges of everything.

One time bleeds into another.

One space or and shape blends
lends support, foundation for the next.

Sun, terracotta and blue skies.Layered in
time and aperture;

for which thing;
season;
space is

definitive of Roma.

Jacqueline Hill

ChalkTalk Pixelations

A pink pixel-like creature lies flatten on the deep grey tarmac.

A pair of bright orange Mary Janes and navy blue nail polish bears witness to the chalktalk. 

Place: William St., Redfern, Sydney. Time: Afternoon. Evidence: Play sometime after school. Engagement: Imagination and some hot pink coloured chalk. Result: Delight from all who come across the drawings.

Iconic Naff

Every nation has its naff object d’arts.  Those little pieces of art and craft that attempt to generate a sense of the uniqueness of the country, culture, society. 
They are often truly awful aesthetically, but for some strange reason,
they also often speak to a tiny corner within the viewer in a sentimental way.
How can one resist a plaster kangaroo, or a hand painted ceramic kookaburra salt-shaker.
 And what home is complete without a Namatjira parody ashtray or sweets bowl. 
This selection of iconic objects was found at the Junk Company on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne (close to the Queen Victoria Markets).
There are some truly endearing, surprising ‘naff’ stuff that should populate your living space and bring a smile to your dial.

The Colours of Melbourne: sugar and spice

Old school cake shops and inner city Melbourne go together like sugar and spice:
Lemon Slices, Rock cakes, Hazelnut biscuits with chocolate cream or jam filling, Apple cakes, Apple slices, Lamingtons, Neenish tart, etc, etc, etc
fill the shop front windows in Fitzroy and St Kilda.

A story constructed from pastels coloured morsels punctuated with rich chocolate browns, and many sugary possibilities await the passer by.

But when we speak of sugar and spice, an associate with the notion of the passive female is often evoked. 

In recognition of International Women’s Day on the 8^th of March, here is another take on the expression ‘Sugar and Spice’ 

thanks to Bethany Hamilton.

“Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts.
That's what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice."

Bethany Hamilton

A most restful colour

"Absolute green is the most restful colour, lacking any undertone of joy, grief, or passion.

On exhausted men this restfulness has a beneficial effect, but after a time it becomes tedious.” —Wassily Kandinsky

Colours of Athens: No.2 Light & Shadows

Last year Shiftazine ran a series of colour homages focusing on beautiful and inspiring locations, 

such as the cities of Berlin, and Melbourne and the country of Greece (Ellas).

Several days ago Shiftazine published the first in a series that will feature the ancient and eternal city of Athens.

This evocative image of light and shadows was captured at Brettos Bar, which is the second oldest operating bar in Europe.  

Located in the heart of the Plaka area, it is the part of Shiftazine’s pilgrim path when in Athens.

The 2015 series will be, once again, a joyful observation of the colours that are a part of these intriguing places.