The Plastic Arts

I love plastic beaded curtains and have ever since I first saw them in Italy awhile ago. I have always suspected that a plastic beaded curtain could do more than just keep the bugs out on a hot summer’s day. 
An installation by Dani Marti entitled 'LOOKING FOR FELIX 2000’ exhibited at the Newcastle Art Gallery in 2011 proved  that  my heartfelt suspicion was correct. 
The installation was made from many, many long rows of glowing red plastic beads. 
You could walk through them, around them, loose yourself in them.  
Intoxicating! 'LOOKING FOR  FELIX  2000’ was gifted to the Newcastle Art Gallery in 2005 by the artist. 
It is a great piece of SHIFTAZINE thinking in action.

Life outside the big smoke

A while ago my friend, Fran, visited a country show where all the best produce, livestock and home economics where on display.  
The craft, care and love that is invested in developing a better egg or pumpkin or a strong, healthy chook benefits everyone. 
It was a delightful and important reminder that there is more to a culture than what is found in the urban environs.  
Get in the car or on a train and take a trip out there to a different perspective...
it's not cutting edge in the obvious way but in effects our every day lives more than you think. Shift a little.

Complex simplicity

Art and creativity has always brought me JOY. 
The end result of creativity does not need to be complex in its mechanics. 
As a matter of fact, it is the simple delivery of complex ideas that often drive the impact of art.  
Strips of plastic mirror hang on a wall or plain bright coloured cards which turn randomly are simple but at the same time complex. 
These pieces of creative intent were a part of the Sydney 2012 Biennially.

From the gutter to the stars

Arcadia Liquors_A Cosy Haven

No longer can Newtown or Surry Hills claim to be the home of funky bars.  
In the depth of Winter, Arcadia Liquors opened their doors, creating a cosy yet funky place for the locals to have a drink after work or  
just an excuse to have an 'Old Fashion'.  
You will find the bar on the corner of Redfern and Regent Streets, Redfern, 
next to that weird street sculpture.

The Art of the Street

The walls of the streets are lined with art.  Is it conscious?  Is it an accident?  
Is it a response to needing to be heard amongst the crushing noise of the city?  
Maybe its just a natural, organic occurrence.  
Whatever it is, it is there, shift your focus from the ground, you might find something wonderful right it front of you.

Baby its cold outside

Its Winter here at the moment.  
The feeling on the street is low.  
We all need to shift ourselves into the night air and crank up the energy level.  
The evening air is sharp on our faces, and makes our hands feel numb, 
but the feeling of walking in the park after being in a building all day is exhilarating.
 Like I said, those puppies need a walk and your legs need a stretch.  Enjoy!

A new world view

Shiftazine has been very quiet for awhile.  
We shifted our world view and saw life through different eyes.  
We are fortunate to enjoy other lands and cultures.  
But even if shifting to another land is not a possibility, you can shift your world view by
 exploring a part of your city or town that you have never seen although curious about.

Shift your world view just for an hour, a day or a month. 
Enjoy seeing new or surprising things.
We are back and have lots to say.      

An observation

For quite awhile I have noticed random chairs that just appear on the street.  They appear like mushrooms do, one minute there is nothing, the next, a chair.  They always make me feel sad.  Once loved, the pride of the room and now just pushed into the cold.  They are calling out to be taken home and used (as long as they are not too random).  Recycling at it basic level. Next time you pass a street chair, say "Hi", strike up a conversation and see where it leads you.  Enjoy!

The Sweetness of Joy

Lemons.  I love lemons.  Firstly, I love the lemon tree. The leaves are more than decoration.  
One year on the Amalfi coast, I was served the most fantastic melted mozzarella that had been placed on a huge Amalfi lemon leaf and then placed on a grill. 
The oil in the leaf gave the melted cheese an evocative flavour. 

I love the perfume of lemon blossoms. The scent lifts the entire surrounding area.
Everyone should have a lemon tree in their garden or backyard. They use to.  
It was a standard Australian suburban thing to find a lemon tree out the back.  
The idea you can just go outside and pick a lemon fresh off the tree. 

I love lemons themselves.  The juice is sweet and emphasise and enhances all the other flavours it is blended with. 
A squeeze of lemon over grilled lamb,or fresh salad greens, or even some lightly steamed brocollini; A slice of lemon with a G & T.  Summer. 
I love the wide range of yellow that its skin can be. I love the diversity of shape it can be. 
I love lemons. They bring me joy.  Celebrate JoyDay 25 November.

Peter Tully, Shiftazine salutes you

The ‘shiftazine’ philosophy has been around long before shiftazine magazine every saw the light of day. 
I was lucky enough to be at the same art institution as one of Australia’s great creative energies, Peter Tully. 
His tribal wear was the stuff that inspired many of us and gave us the courage to shift our appreciation of all things in our mundane lives. 
I recently found myself in front of a wonderful Peter Tully piece that was dedicated to the King of Kitch, Liberace.
It was a delight to be once again in the presence of this artist’s energy, humor and eagle eye for all things delightful. 
Peter Tully Shiftazine salutes and thanks you. XXXXX

Shift Bag

My friend went to Thailand over Summer. He had fun.  He saw lots of interesting things. He bought a couple of things. And one of the things was put in this bag.  This bag is made from recycled newsprint.  This is a great shiftazine idea!

A Dash of Joy

On the 7th of February Shiftazine posted an article entitled ‘Every surface a canvas’. 
In it,I wrote “What does the word mutable really mean.  
Well, by the dictionary's definition it means 'to change', shifting, 
but it also means a sense of the fluid,ideas coming and going.”

The dear dog that was the inspiration for the drawing was a great dog called Dasher, 
and he brought joy to all the people who walked along Crown Street Surry Hills Sydney,
 for such a long time. 
Always there to greet you and give you a moment of his day.

He was hit by a car last week and died. 
Thank you Dasher for all those tiny moments of joy you gave so many people. 
Life is mutable. 
Joy is fleeting. 
Remember to celebrate the thing that brings you joy on JOYDAY, the 25th November each year.