Veronika Wild

I can't quite define what irks me about these places. I mean, are they really any worse than the subdivisions depicted by John Brack (1920-1999) in the nineteen fifties?” http://whathouse.wordpress.com/tag/john-brack/ There are the same raw edges, unsoftened by vegetation, monochrome colours and the starkness of powerlines and fences. The backyards are smaller now and the houses grander – four bed, 2 bath is the norm, with extra prominence given to the family cars. The airconditioners are new and so are the solar panels and the perfect square of lawn probably has an automatic reticulation system. Perfect of course, for those migratory flocks of fly –in/ fly out workers who have no time for gardening or community involvement. It is all very neat, modern and clean with thick stone walls to keep out the gaze of the vulgar public. But it’s the public spaces, where they exist, which disturb me most -the private golf courses, the safe bicycle and jogging tracks with an arti...

Attractive Metal Cutouts with explanatory notes along the Golden Discovery Trail It seems that a lot of art is escaping from galleries these days and for the most part I don't mind that at all. I am often overwhelmed by too much of a good thing. I love it when the setting becomes part of the work, as with Antony Gormley's project at Lake Ballard or some of the various Art in the Forest or Art by the Sea displays. There is another kind of outdoor art though, much more primitive - indeed a lot of it borders on kitch, but I do love the element of surprise in either the medium, the location or indeed, the subject matter. It says somewhere there is a creative spirit at work, or at least someone. This collection is by no means complete, just a few little things that have tickled my fancy here and there. There's lightpole art at Chittering ...and Lancelin Totems in Waroona, WA Creative Tree stump en route to York, WA In Australia's vast open spaces it is almost enough to know...

Two weather systems converge.... The earth is energised Trees breathe a sigh The storm moves on...