Surreal me

The two older boys have had Raw Art lessons at school. And the art from the last session was frame-worthy. It very much suits the aesthetic of the "art" we have hanging in the house - eclectic mix of everything.

My two new artworks!

Son #1, who is eight-years old, did a Picasso inspired pastel drawing of me. It will hang in the master bedroom.

A surreal portrait of Brismod

This is about as close as you're ever going to get to seeing a picture of me (I'm like the Stig). Love it, as you should of your own child's work. He's made my broad Polynesian nose so petite. Bless him.

Crazy fish pastel drawing

And Son # 2, who is five-years old, did a pastel drawing of under the sea. We think it is really cool, again, as you should of your own child's work. That crazy fish with the shapes floating around it on the dark painted background ticks all the boxes. He wants it to hang in his room.

They are framed in two inexpensive Ikea Ribba frames, which are perfect for this type of work. The frames also give their work a semblance of credibility that you can't get with blu-tack!

Hanging their work is quite a joyous thing.

Deck check

Spring has seen us emerge from the innards of the Sow's Ear and we are enjoying the outdoors more.

During the last few weeks, we've been giving the garden some much needed attention, but it has a long way to go.

Since we are outdoors more, we've noticed how grotty the concrete paths and deck have become. A good friend lent me her high pressure cleaner so I could clean the concrete under the deck and give the deck a spruce.

While cleaning, I inadvertently blasted one of the deck railings off, revealing some major wood rot.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, why is it that one minor job always leads to another? And it is always more substantial than the first job...

Just as well. It is better to notice now, rather than to discover it in the event of an accident. Two-year old Son# 3 will, no doubt, thank us when he is alive to see his third birthday.

Anyhow, it is a timely reminder that we need to check the deck - floor boards, joists and railings. There have been too many deck accidents in Queensland. The deck collapse two years ago in the suburb of Ascot, killing one and injuring several others, still sends shivers up my spine.

If you are reading this Mr Rooney, our esteemed builder and descendant of the Rooney & Co timber merchants, who pioneered Queenslander architecture (we like to know the lineage of our builders)...

We might need your help.

Design Vigilantism

Lock up your replica Eames chairs, because there is a hard-core Design Vigilante group who will be targeting you next!

I've just finished reading an extremely interesting article about the replica furniture industry. Apparently earlier this year, a number of designer lounge chair "knock offs" were slashed at a large Sydney hotel by an unknown attacker.

Heron Chair image from here

The slashed chairs were copies of an award winning design by contemporary Australian designer Charles Wilson. There had been some disquiet in the design community about a five star hotel having terrible quality copies of his designer chairs.

There is a belief, in design circles, that this vicious slashing is the first wave of attack by design purists in the battle against the forces of the 'evil' knock-off merchants. Design Vigilantism - a stylish, lisping Dexter who can recommend dazzling window treatments, whilst gutting your replica Egg chair!

This article raises the never-ending debate regarding original versus knock-off.  You can read the entire article from the Sydney Morning Herald  here.

What I found most interesting was the comments by Charles Wilson on the issue.

"I believe that after a certain period of time, a cantilevered tubular chair becomes a generic type and not a Bauhaus original. There is also an argument that if the companies that produce Eames and Jacobsen weren't living off the royalties from their old designs, they might be more inclined to invest in stuff by new designers."

However, he said ripping off a living designer was theft.

I tend to agree with Charles Wilson on this matter. No one likes having their work plagiarised, but after a lengthy period of time (or when the designer is dead) surely good design becomes a part of everyday life...even if the manufacturing of the item is dubious? 

What do you think?

At any rate, the article has put me off venturing into Matt Blatt, Milan Direct and all the other replica furniture stores. 

You don't know where those bad-ass designer vigilante types lurk...I wouldn't want to mess with them!

5RSTHES3VYNW

Stainless steel outdoor table with Casala chairs

The new outdoor table and two long benches arrived on Friday afternoon. We bought the setting which I posted about a few weeks ago.

Wow! It is perfect for us.

Outdoor table with Casala chairs

It is the first brand new furniture purchase we have made since 2004 (we bought two king-size single beds for the children). We usually buy vintage/second-hand furniture, because often it is better made and of course cheaper.

We had been looking for something simple and durable for our covered deck - the stainless steel frame look with the thick kwila top was a favourite. The table also needed to be a good length and width for the space - the new table is 2.2 metres long X 1 metre wide.

This setting was made locally in Brisbane which is another plus. Apparently most furniture like this is made in China. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it is good to support local business, especially when the price difference with an imported product is negligible.

The bench seats are fantastic for the kids and when we have a large crowd. Two Casala chairs are for the ends while the other Casala chairs are spare - they give us more flexibility.

Today, we gave the setting a workout for a Father's Day barbecue. It's rock solid and gets the thumbs up.

We are now using our large deck to its full potential. And those three sad deck chairs can be retired.

Seascape

I visited my Mum this morning.

And as you know, I always like to have a rummage around in her back room. My parents are hoarders. You never know what you find may find beneath a layer of dust.

A framed original oil painting?

Yes.

A well known Australian artist, perhaps?

Well, no.

But they did have a sense of humour.

It will hang in #1 son's room because he likes the colour blue.