Picture book art

I know Australia has the best illustrators of childrens books, and this exhibition showcases that fact.

The State Library of Victoria has Look! the art of Australian picture books today

Children - and adults alike - will be delighted and inspired with the Look exhibition. It celebrates the illustrations and stories revealed in the picture books of today. The exhibition has original artworks, sketches and drawings from more than 40 Australian illustrators on display, including some of my favourites - Graeme Base, Jeannie Baker, Stephen Michael King, Robert Ingpen, John Nicholsdon, and Anne Spudvilas.

There are also activities to do at the exhibition: a drawing competition, storytimes, little tables of felt figures to play with & create, videos, workshops, and tours.

Collage in Jeannie Baker's "Window", superbly crafted into this bay window

Another Jeannie Baker work, from "Hidden forest", this lightbox has real kelp, sand etc., giving you the full 3-D experience.

The exhibition is in the Keith Murdoch Gallery at the State Library, and runs till 29th May.

It smells of books

I try to watch the episodes of New Tricks, the British police tv series based on UCOS the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad staffed primarily by ex-police officers.

And particularly enjoyed the latest episode 'It smells like books': Brian finds the Library card of a cold case victim - a Dr Richard Symes, leading him and the team to re-investigate the death of the professor who died after falling from the roof of the college library building 3 years previously. Symes' younger widow, an antiquarian book dealer, believes the Principal (who has closed the college library to convert it into more profitable student accommodation, as students can buy books from the college bookshop) drove her husband to suicide following a conflict over teaching methods.

But as usual there are other undercurrents to the story which climaxes in the often dreamed scenario of trapping someone in a motorised compactus unit and turning the screws!

Hints of humour, and lots of scenes amid classic and modern library shelves & catalogues.

In the stillness of the night...

Preparations for the night tour of the Cemetery are definitely gaining momentum

- Dates & times organised (gee but the Net is a wonderous thing, it told me local sun set & full darkness, & moon phases)
- Waiver Form ratified
- The headstone for the Display has been created, painted & lettered
- Have to do a presentation for the Board on Friday, selling the idea
- Invites to the Virtual Tour for the Trusts and Societies ready to be labelled then posted