tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29068075968321769552024-02-06T21:13:03.554-08:00Virtue Ferns Art JournalVirtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-7392504324244137802010-03-09T16:15:00.001-08:002010-03-09T16:45:07.103-08:00New Work<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZvml528XNPtLvI7o6h1qWrgpUaCNICGcvU2XMkf6Zqdg_BWp97mXivkOEQtSd8Xw_xsgGvnXpq8_9BPD5OMzSgZviKctXDsNPxcS3jeivVqKohZB-KqlW3iwMSFshklEHPwdjQRigyo/s1600-h/VCA_2000_5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZvml528XNPtLvI7o6h1qWrgpUaCNICGcvU2XMkf6Zqdg_BWp97mXivkOEQtSd8Xw_xsgGvnXpq8_9BPD5OMzSgZviKctXDsNPxcS3jeivVqKohZB-KqlW3iwMSFshklEHPwdjQRigyo/s320/VCA_2000_5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446792766477097138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYu-nHeDY4Je05FCccQ3FcApdpnH3YndLLoVKNpgE-IcvNHZBYzc0x0fs_ok-5X9ctPVz1RwKtQtCkXQuISZT_hwHKe_mkPdiBRJCdngrAK8si2Cv_p2gf9hrT_3ZGU-QmdmdezoEIng/s1600-h/VCA_2000_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYu-nHeDY4Je05FCccQ3FcApdpnH3YndLLoVKNpgE-IcvNHZBYzc0x0fs_ok-5X9ctPVz1RwKtQtCkXQuISZT_hwHKe_mkPdiBRJCdngrAK8si2Cv_p2gf9hrT_3ZGU-QmdmdezoEIng/s320/VCA_2000_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446792760149100274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MCRn6yrPJ3hLUmlvYGJbbqF6x4aMgr3kE3YItUyiG1IAQhehqYqlMAf4ccjewHy_i64l5ZgXwoAhEby9oAbYV_rRJt2P26nTsMUN30_eaHrsXm7C7QwqNQ48eLwmYZqc7bc4aSBZbsA/s1600-h/VCA_2000_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7MCRn6yrPJ3hLUmlvYGJbbqF6x4aMgr3kE3YItUyiG1IAQhehqYqlMAf4ccjewHy_i64l5ZgXwoAhEby9oAbYV_rRJt2P26nTsMUN30_eaHrsXm7C7QwqNQ48eLwmYZqc7bc4aSBZbsA/s320/VCA_2000_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446792746673496194" border="0" /></a>I've started back at grad school this week at the Victoria College of the Arts in Melbourne. I was asked to do five drawings for the next class and these are three of them. For those of you that follow my work, you'll know I have two definite styles, one geometric and patterned using the primary colours only and the other biomorphic abstractions with no colour restrictions. These works are attempting to merge the two styles, just to see what happens. so far, im happy with the results...<br />There are another two finished drawings in this series which I did take shots of, however I have mislaid my camera usb cord. We had a huge storm in Melbourne this week and my studio was flooded. Luckily I was there when it happened and managed to get everything above the waterline but in the chaos I've no idea where I've put it. When it surfaces I'll post them....<br /><br />Here's a link about the Melbourne storm<br />http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/an-organised-beast-of-a-storm-belts-city-20100307-pqnw.htmlVirtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-53443877668090030742009-12-29T01:00:00.000-08:002009-12-29T01:09:48.806-08:00Solo show is fast approaching<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CyuVsNY4RNKReFgzDZamO8df1F6aA1SNjuZqSpO0zBXuAw14djI_ajaqsiofxH5bOC5bvhhHnzw3HyBFAPSHjVcNH8aV5-vGkYQbq9SvoJ1J0ketUGJy0_QY2plWsUbXBdrtlGTrbwo/s1600-h/studioshottwo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CyuVsNY4RNKReFgzDZamO8df1F6aA1SNjuZqSpO0zBXuAw14djI_ajaqsiofxH5bOC5bvhhHnzw3HyBFAPSHjVcNH8aV5-vGkYQbq9SvoJ1J0ketUGJy0_QY2plWsUbXBdrtlGTrbwo/s320/studioshottwo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420582721637202786" border="0" /></a><br />The artwork for upcoming show....and I'll be setting up a link over the next few days for a live video feed from the studio...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy60dCDfkUgaV24qSUk9nW5eL-Mv5HiO5ATtCj7yFs8WgvllR957cwTUhRN7-fwgXOX3Y66_qTaJZ96wWhLOxRNGMQj6hQstAz7SsYZqkiGpXWxOj9ThFOx4bgQdXLLLgXN8npLjiuc_M/s1600-h/studioshotthree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy60dCDfkUgaV24qSUk9nW5eL-Mv5HiO5ATtCj7yFs8WgvllR957cwTUhRN7-fwgXOX3Y66_qTaJZ96wWhLOxRNGMQj6hQstAz7SsYZqkiGpXWxOj9ThFOx4bgQdXLLLgXN8npLjiuc_M/s320/studioshotthree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420581585621979298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPM_bNyjJxxDs4mAps2segGlIYmIrjiFFRTdvUBu3aEfXFOG325PO1VTEdkfP7qh7zWOoFREh65CeqP5nK6GzSdzm50ufnzvwDDuiH2F2r2SUGQHdrseyyzdWFGabwnT-lN_FlrORm6g/s1600-h/studioshotfour.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPM_bNyjJxxDs4mAps2segGlIYmIrjiFFRTdvUBu3aEfXFOG325PO1VTEdkfP7qh7zWOoFREh65CeqP5nK6GzSdzm50ufnzvwDDuiH2F2r2SUGQHdrseyyzdWFGabwnT-lN_FlrORm6g/s320/studioshotfour.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420581382316138738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBUbfNLUjigkTsKgNWMUhTvfIPppXb4-G1Hg3RhzM1IOB87oPOMPG70pPk8sg8jYqSfhidAyXjOMNIOZmDpo847asSBFEBuiO2hgIkOoQvxtorym9isaTJ7b7Re8R8nEBMqgP3ckc48A/s1600-h/studioshot-one.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBUbfNLUjigkTsKgNWMUhTvfIPppXb4-G1Hg3RhzM1IOB87oPOMPG70pPk8sg8jYqSfhidAyXjOMNIOZmDpo847asSBFEBuiO2hgIkOoQvxtorym9isaTJ7b7Re8R8nEBMqgP3ckc48A/s320/studioshot-one.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420581139288564594" border="0" /></a>Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-49198797071473680462009-12-11T14:13:00.000-08:002009-12-11T14:17:47.602-08:00Up coming art show 29 Jan - 11 Feb<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5ifQSJkHz9l3qw7BPhnGPxBqrdlxReGsYWiIJ_42JeO-JLQMBNHb9UJ9zVOjzvsFe5F12z4yFxz7ppkkvESIRvHRD3w7aG8O6r2tJkjpqauhFs28jjW_X83MaOAYpU0PkV9JccG12k0/s1600-h/posterone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5ifQSJkHz9l3qw7BPhnGPxBqrdlxReGsYWiIJ_42JeO-JLQMBNHb9UJ9zVOjzvsFe5F12z4yFxz7ppkkvESIRvHRD3w7aG8O6r2tJkjpqauhFs28jjW_X83MaOAYpU0PkV9JccG12k0/s320/posterone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414105516826522338" border="0" /></a>Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-67445689338352311552009-08-29T17:48:00.000-07:002009-08-29T18:00:31.092-07:00art plansI've been back in Melbourne full time for almost six months, and I starting to find my feet in the art world here.<br />Apart from the two major solo shows I'm putting together for next year, I'm planning to write a curriculum for a series of art workshops. These will focus on the creative act, creativity itself and explore such concepts as the artistic muse, spontaneous creative practices and put into practice the creative art theories of others. I'm planning to run these as a day long workshop from my studio in Melbourne. They will consist of some formal training/teaching but still plenty of room for discussion and workshop activities.<br />I'm also planning to give away a series of 9 or so small oils of canvas I painted a few years back. More details on this later via twitter. @virtuejofernVirtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-56679901360294781112009-08-17T02:45:00.000-07:002009-08-17T03:05:34.272-07:00why I left my former art studio...I've spoken on this subject before. The dangers of those inexperienced in the art world, who decide they want to be part of it.<br />Usually it's because they have money and can own galleries or art studios so they get themselves a stable of artists then proceed to behave like total tools, eventually driving you away.<br />This is what happened in my former studio, the landlord was a total fool who had some very archaic, stereotypical and false ideas of what artists are really like and, more importantly, what they need in a studio space. They think these kind of people think because they have cash, the buildings etc, they are instantly involved.<br />This landlord kept hanging around, his first mistake. He keep sticking his nose into everyone's business then gossiping.<br />Secondly, he really believed that all artist are sex crazy maniac's that will do anyone, anywhere and therefore kept coming on to me. ( he was really creepy)<br />Thirdly, he rented the studio out to me with 24 hr access and attempted to put my rent up 50% because he said I was using it too much...WTF!! I use the studio all the time because I work a lot you fool!!!<br /><br />Manallack St Art Studios, can't say I would recommend them. The landlord is the most unprofessional tool I've met in the last few months... But the art world is full of them.<br /><br />My new studios great ...here's a link to them http://www.latrobecollege.com.au/studio.htmVirtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-18155876869272461492009-07-19T20:07:00.001-07:002009-07-19T22:15:26.790-07:00Nurting Genius- Putting the monster in it's cage<span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">Yesterday, I listened to Elizabeth Gilbert ( http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/ ) speak on nurturing creative genius. Listen to the talk here <a href="http://tinyurl.com/b6hs2k" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/b6hs2k </a><br /><br />Listening to her speak has lifted a weight of my shoulders, but at the same time, made my life more complex. I'm relived I thought I was the only one struggling with what I call "my monster", otherwise known as my creativity. You see, I create because I have, I have no choice as it bursts up from inside my being and I have to get it out into my art or it will kill me. ( I know this sounds dramatic but that is what it feels like, it feels so dangerous)<br /><br />After I finish pieces of work I say the same comment every time "that's better out that in" as once I've got it out of my system, I can return to normal. And it's not all horrible, it will produce pure moments of bliss in my creative process. However, this powerful creativity feels like it is not me holding the brush, I feel like I have little control over the process once I start creating and when I stop working and look at the art I just created and feel like I'm waking up from a dream.<br /><br /></span></span><span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content"> Last week </span></span><span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">I read an article about how scientists have found the gene that is responsible for schizophrenia is almost the same as the gene that stimulates creativity.<br /></span></span><b>http://tinyurl.com/nepntn</b><br /><br /><span class="status-body"><span class="entry-content">You know who was not shocked, ME!!! I could have told them how close to madness creativity is years ago. We should really remember the Dali quote " The only difference between me and a madman (sic) is I'm not mad.<br /><br />Many artists say when they create they enter another world, this is what we are talking about, it is the mad world except artists know it's mad and a madman (sic) does not. For example, I get totally obsessed with my muses, I <span style="font-weight: bold;">let myself</span> believe they can feel the power of the creative adoration I direct at them and this creativity can effect their lives in some way. But realistically, I know it's not part of the real functioning world, it has a creative truth but it's just not part of real, everyday life and should never be acted upon. So I would never dream of stalking them or invade their privacy in any way. A m use is important to creating great work but it's a fickle "relationship", often, I just wake up one morning, find them boring and move onto to something else.<br /><br />My point is, I believe most artists know where to draw the line. It is a necessary to wallow in the mad ways as they create the best art, it's where the 'monster' lives.<br /><br />So where does all this insight, science and advice leave me? I guess feeling like a bit of a freak, and frustrated that I've really had to deal with this powerful creativity on my own for many years. It's hard when you don't have ordinary problems. For example, My creativity often keeps me awake, and, because of this advice, from health professions regarding my insomnia can be pretty much useless, being bombarded by powerful creative inspiration is not a common cause for sleep problems. Common in artists maybe, but not the general population.<br /><br />Yet this article and talk has made me feel relived , hearing Elizabeth advice how she handles her creative demands and passing on advise from other musicians (Tom Waits) about how to handle these intense creative moments has made me feel like I do fit somewhere and others are coping too. We are OK.<br /><br />Both Elizabeth & Tom suggested to treat your creativity like the external force that it feels/behaves like, which is what I've instinctively done over the past few years. It may sound a bit crazy but it works, my favourite saying is "I keep my monster in a cage of rational behaviour" which allows me to see my creativity as the force that it is and be able to rationalize into submission when I need to. I found I had to do this as it was causing problems by creatly inspiring me at an inconvient time. For example, I was being woken at 3am with a complete poem in my head and couldn't settle till I wrote it all down. Only to find I'd wake an hour later with another one. I made "deals" with my monster, I asked it to come back at another time, then made time to write the poem later and this way I found I can "open the door" pretty much when I chose. And the work is just as good. It doesn't work all the time but it has helped enormously.<br /><br />The advice of Mr Waits ( bless his little heart ) was to" speak" to this creative impulse and tell it that it is inconvient at this time and to come back when it's not. He's right, it eventually works. My attitude to my creativity is we have to do this together, as a team and I think that is what he was doing as well, It is a team affort, Elizabeth went in detail about this too in her talk.<br /><br />But all this complicates life, it's like I have this mad, dangerous part of me and when I do let it out it is a extremely powerful experince and downright weird. For example, lately I have found myself closing my eyes while I'm actually painting. ( I call this the Stevie Wonder effect)<br />Also, I find I have to walk for at least an hour to "come down" from a painting. Frankly, this sort of behaviour puts people off and I can't say I blame them. It's hard to have a social life when I walking around blathering about being stuck in a painting, letting out "my monster" or painting with my eyes closed. Or, one of my other favourites, taking small pieces of my art to cemeteries and photography. Most the room goes silent when I drop that into the dinner conversation.<br /><br />But my creativity brings out such wonderful unique insights and that's one of them. But the unique scares most people and they don't know how to react. It's why I have trouble selling art, when other artists are doing brisk business with their more stereotypic work. I guess my work is not ever going to be popular, but that's ok, I happy with it and I can't do popular, usual or follow the crowd. I'm just not good at it.<br /><br />So I feel I've reached the point where I sigh and say "that's better out than in", thanks for sticking with me to the end of my carthetic rant. And I hope I've enlightened you to how the artist mind works. Please remember, we all need to nuture this genuis, it's so very dangerously special. Thanks for reading...Virtue<br /><br />You can buy my prints@ http://tinyurl.com/mvqse5<br />For those who like a twitter @virtuejofern to follow my tweets<br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-738889517591045982009-07-11T02:30:00.000-07:002009-07-11T02:41:56.188-07:00Developing current creative directions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPA34EOSp9SzpRI4B9X6czQ4KEYdGeP_FVt0cePZK0jPuz6dWuKUM7h6BN_DK9DgemPM_aDyiZptF1_QQBYshnVX0c1tCcCzLOKPvwoa-UQAZFwUPs45miZW32xeC1tS3BumLjuASnSQ/s1600-h/nine_windows.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPA34EOSp9SzpRI4B9X6czQ4KEYdGeP_FVt0cePZK0jPuz6dWuKUM7h6BN_DK9DgemPM_aDyiZptF1_QQBYshnVX0c1tCcCzLOKPvwoa-UQAZFwUPs45miZW32xeC1tS3BumLjuASnSQ/s320/nine_windows.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357133200316436738" border="0" /></a><br />The windows have always been red, yellow or blue. Next step will be all three colours on each piece. I'll start three new windows over the next week. I think they'll look great.<br /><br />It'll be something like crossing the beams!Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-43937598293796403402009-06-18T00:49:00.001-07:002009-06-18T00:49:56.020-07:00Yes well ... We will seeApparently I can send stuff to my blog via email on my iPhone. Did it work ?Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-81069113158795596652009-06-07T22:34:00.000-07:002009-06-07T22:52:31.240-07:00I am wreckage hear me roar no 6The new wreckage piece worked really well this weekend. It's all about energy.<br />Energy is so vital to creating and I was so full of energy I worked so easily, and so well.<br /><br />The last studio session my output was amazing, I drew some pieces for the repetitions, worked on the new wreckage piece (3/4 finished) and did a quick preliminary photo shoot. I'll have to re-shoot most of these new pieces but the quick shoot developed the ideas behind the work. The art in cemeteries photo series has now expanded to art on graffiti, doors, and lane ways.<br /><br />I put some of these new photos on flickr to get feed back, lots of views but not many comments. They're not as popular as the wreckage series, I think they're perhaps a bit weird. Popular is not always good, most of the time it can be down right crap. Perhaps they're a bit to contemporary. Still, I thnk they have such potiental.<br /><br />Anyway photos of the wreckage piece soon. New preliminary photos on flickr. I'll be puting them up all week after I've processed them in photoshop.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-88636067058106318312009-06-06T16:38:00.000-07:002009-06-06T16:58:33.285-07:00Should I quit working full time?I've been really worried lately because my office job contract is up for renewal in 9 months time and with this current recession I've been told that they aren't resigning contracts at the moment. I get paid really well in my current job and so, intially, I was not too happy about this news.<br /><br />But this morning I woke up with a radical idea in my head. I could move into my studio for a while and therefore afford to be a full time artist again. Granted, I'm going to be broke and sleeping where I work, it will be rough and I have no nice house to go when I'm finished working. But I'm getting so much great feedback about my art and it's all starting to happen for me again.<br />I really think I need to make the sacrifice. I'm missing too many opportunities because I don't have enough time for art. Ok, I'd be broke again, but I'm used to living like an artist, I've done it many times before and I'm pretty good at living on very little money.<br /><br />I really need to focus on my art, beside I can always go back to work, it's not going to be a recession forever. Scary thought though, all that nice money I make, gone , but really I think it's the right time to quit full time office work. So I think I will just walk away in 9 months time. It would be absolulte heaven to wake up each day and say what I am going to create today.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-44445455587712142722009-06-05T00:31:00.000-07:002009-06-05T00:43:01.924-07:00I am wreckage hear me roar no 6I'm painting this piece tomorrow. The subject of this one is energy & creativity. The following lines are preliminary thoughts about this.<br /><br />I need a great deal of energy when I paint and this energy has to be from the soul.<br />I need pure forms of this energy and if I get purity, the painting becomes intensely universal.<br />My energy levels change radically when I'm painting.<br />I become hyper sensitive and everything seems so much more vivid, my senses work at a extremely high level, it's why I become so drained. It takes so much energy to maintain this state.<br />Intially I start working because I have too much creative energy and I need to release it but eventually it does drain away.<br />I need someone in my life who understands this and can cope with this.<br />It's not a choice I have to creative, it's like breathing.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-45143110555448894992009-05-29T17:52:00.000-07:002009-05-29T18:02:02.645-07:00Things to doThe list of deadlines or need to do very soon.<br /><br />*edit, rework & produce a poetry book with all the poems I've written over the last 15 yrs. To sell at art shows<br />*send off selected images to three galleries for either small solos/ group shows/art fair<br />* write up three larger solo show proposals by next week.<br />* do another location photo shoot for art in cemeteries, one of the above solo shows.<br />*reshoot about ten of so piece of art for all these proposals<br />*reorganise all my art images on a new online art sales gallery. Including readjusting all the file sizes...YUK!<br />* finish 8 repetitions, 4 wreckages paintings<br />* stay sane<br />*still keep up a full time office jobVirtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-6335858975748402492009-05-28T16:03:00.000-07:002009-05-28T16:04:31.167-07:00My iphone just keeps on givingI went to an art opening last night with a friend who kept telling everyone there I was an artist. I usually don’t promote myself like this, and it was actually very helpful. Consequently I was being asked what my work was like and my dear iphone came to the rescue. I had a few images on there so I ended up having my own little electronic show right in the middle of some one else’s opening. It was great & very cheeky. I will be putting more on images on my iphone for the next show I attend. I love it…free art audience, free wine and free food, what more could you ask for?Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-16199398001215178372009-05-27T19:34:00.000-07:002009-05-27T19:37:14.174-07:00Predicting people again.It occurred again today, I dreamt all night about someone and the next day this person appeared in my life unexpectedly. OK, this is a regular occurrence for me. Dream it and it happens, although not every dream does this. Probably about one in every fortnight does. It makes me wonder why my mind does this? It seems to working in a non temporal manner, it gets time backwards. Mostly, when I dream something, then it happens the next day, it’s not really a significant event, it doesn’t really have a deeper meaning, I’ve predicted some really stupid stuff in my dreams.<br /><br />E.g. I once dreamt I could see this strange blue water behind glass, I had no idea what it was. The very next day I walked into a room and was face to face with a fish tank that has a light that made the water exact blue. It’s like my mind just got the time round the wrong way but what a stupid thing to predict.<br /><br />Although this still doesn’t explain how I can sometimes know what people are thinking, I don’t think I can explain this at all. I do wish I could harness this ability but I can’t control it at all. And when I try to do it I can’t. I really think it just comes with my creativity, my creative mind is very unique and weird thing, compared to the way I think on an everyday level.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-48334831331383407312009-05-21T04:20:00.001-07:002009-05-21T04:22:23.496-07:00Poetry drafts and journal pieces<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiob-M20ptiGiyi5Rs9PtmuL4yqUpSNyujMZCL_QPakVqtmS3NkUaIw2n2KJQheR7wVZh6du3KGMZ27pwOUiNu9hcK8bum2DlQOaCGjL7LH8G9sQI2BCV2Io0a5D4G2Dbpynt8D7ULOlyg/s1600-h/Flesh-poetry-draft1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiob-M20ptiGiyi5Rs9PtmuL4yqUpSNyujMZCL_QPakVqtmS3NkUaIw2n2KJQheR7wVZh6du3KGMZ27pwOUiNu9hcK8bum2DlQOaCGjL7LH8G9sQI2BCV2Io0a5D4G2Dbpynt8D7ULOlyg/s320/Flesh-poetry-draft1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338236012212545794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShpRwvhQY_ZpItSyhEDLTXZr8PCgMu88wU5lhVrPlLXsPpwMsRuwlFhyphenhyphen22eabi0Wgw5hzFrAb0DKJXm4v00gx5f8LpHnPoKbDeOIjLF9g5C44J1XLpIdF4g8ivTpZp9u4c8AFQqnpTfU/s1600-h/weeksjournal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShpRwvhQY_ZpItSyhEDLTXZr8PCgMu88wU5lhVrPlLXsPpwMsRuwlFhyphenhyphen22eabi0Wgw5hzFrAb0DKJXm4v00gx5f8LpHnPoKbDeOIjLF9g5C44J1XLpIdF4g8ivTpZp9u4c8AFQqnpTfU/s320/weeksjournal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338236010292008578" border="0" /></a>Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-56547635646080836152009-05-16T17:09:00.000-07:002009-05-16T18:58:50.096-07:00This is the plan!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJvAgEYsUvjNRGhR8Lz7xkwvOvMv7N8FgkDOsxMpqgNYiTWLZgx1bXlUibEYX8wLJ-4D0j5NGtEkgj42HSy1u_jJ6GZpI_zKKvwuZg1BXavC5oyrIxb2h_tb8xVAPqqMCnR1te4G-HZs/s1600-h/Repetition_Triptych_red.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJvAgEYsUvjNRGhR8Lz7xkwvOvMv7N8FgkDOsxMpqgNYiTWLZgx1bXlUibEYX8wLJ-4D0j5NGtEkgj42HSy1u_jJ6GZpI_zKKvwuZg1BXavC5oyrIxb2h_tb8xVAPqqMCnR1te4G-HZs/s320/Repetition_Triptych_red.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336578780563553858" border="0" /></a>This first piece in the Repetition Triptych series and show. (This may eventually be called the Repetition Game Series, I'm still thinking about it)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Basics</span><br />There are nine pieces similar the image above.<br />There are 3 red, 3 yellow, & 3 blue repetitions representing the primary colours.<br />Each Repetition has, nine round collage pieces.<br />The collages pieces are numbered 1 -9 and have lines of poetry or prose written by myself.<br />Each set of 9 collages pieces are named; the seconds, minutes, hours, days ,weeks, months, years decades, & centuries.<br />The ink work between the collage pieces and coloured squares is repetitious but draw by hand.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Multiple Hangs</span><br />1 The temporal order hang: Pieces are hung in order of of seconds to centuries<br />2 The primary order hang: Pieces are hung in a sequence of red, yellow, & blue x 3<br />3 The primary order hang 2: Pieces are hung 3 red, 3 yellow, & 3 blue.<br /><br />What does this do? It produces different narrative flow in the written elements of the works, catapults the colours to produce new ways to interpret this series. Each hang should create a new narrative and new colour interpretation. I'm planning to exhibit this show over three weeks and change the hang every week. I'm really interested in art in exhibition spaces that are not static and not completely still. I like the way this show can be viewed 3 different ways.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Analysis, meaning and ideas about content</span><br /><br />Non-organic, bio-morphic with movable parts.<br />Uniform & repetitious juxtapositioned against the unique and the original.<br />The repetitious elements become more expected and familiar as they repeat, which make the unique & original expressions even more specialized and out standing.<br />The act of repeating is an attempt to industrialize, to make the work mechanical, but at the same time it automatically suggests an endlessness, the eternal, and a universality.<br />The human, the man made and all industrialized human activity within the endless, eternal, ongoing state of nature.<br />The repetitions mirror nature's repetitive creations- we are all the same structure, body parts, & beings, but we are, at the time, individual, unique, and original.<br />Words are the voices and the vulnerabilities of the human condition and the human struggle.<br />So it becomes the mechanics of life in a universal endless flow where every body just goes on talking as time passes.<br />This series is a Neo Romantic vocal abstraction.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Words<br /><br />Seconds (red)</span><span><br />One second...Discouraged by the sycophantic</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span>Two seconds</span><span>...Disillusioned by the lack of imagination<br />Three seconds...Frozen by the predictability<br />Four seconds...Repelled by the mindlessness<br />Five seconds...Dismayed by the blind devotion<br />Six seconds....Concerned by the lack of critique<br />Seven seconds...Sickened by the hype<br />Eight seconds...Unable to reach through to the art<br />Nine seconds...Who knew perfection had a time limit?</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Minutes (yellow)<br /></span><span>Minute one...A study in devotion<br />Minute two...Completely devoted<br />Minute three...Part-time devotion<br />Minute four...Physically devoted<br />Minute five...Occasionally devoted<br />Minute six...Intermittently devoted<br />Minute seven...Paradoxically devoted<br />Minute eight...Obsessively devoted<br />Minute nine...Not devoted in the slightest</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Hours (blue)<br /></span><span>Still to be written</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Days (red) </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Pictured above</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span>The beginning...Dark creative passion<br />Day one...Black reflection<br />Day two...Wrong body</span><span><br />Day three....Alone we can do this together<br />Day four...Surging perfection<br />Day five...Dreaming the same dream<br />Day six...Is your heart working?<br /></span><span>Day seven...Smile while its melting<br />Day eight...Belief without fear</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Weeks (blue)<br /></span><span>Words posted shortly</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Months (yellow)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span>1st month...Adjusted my past attitudes<br />2nd month...Resigned myself to work hard<br />3rd month...Realised deep passion was found only in the soul<br />4th month...Created brand new expectations<br />5th month...Proved my uniqueness<br />6th month...Rejuvenated my commitment<br />7th month...Pressed the repeat button<br />8th month...Patted myself on the back<br />9th month...Attempted to wallow in his crap but failed</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Years (yellow)<br /></span><span>Year one...Surrendered<br />Year two...Surrendered<br />Year three...Surrendered<br />Year four...Acceptance<br />Year five...Acceptance<br />Year six...Acceptance<br />Year seven...Compliance<br />Year eight...Compliance<br />Year nine...End</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Decades (red)<br /></span><span>Words to be written</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Centuries (blue)<br /></span><span>Word to be written</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /></span>Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-70286737169227106822009-05-14T03:56:00.000-07:002009-05-14T04:02:18.777-07:00Wrong BodyI really have had a huge creative breakthrough this week. My singing has been blocking really badly over the last 3 years or so, I start bringing it into my art practice, then it blocks. It has really been difficult.<br />Now I'm singing everyday and feeling so good about it. It's giving me goosebumps again. I working on a Tom Waits song called Flowers Grave and I'm intending to develop an visual art work as I'm interpreting the song vocally. I'm really excited about this creative development, I'm beginning to love my voice again.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-78690465157119694522009-05-10T03:19:00.000-07:002009-05-10T03:25:41.267-07:00My weird creative art world.My art’s become very troublesome again. The more significant each piece gets the more it takes on a life force of it’s own and produces work that predicts events or produces some fairly weird telepathic moments or synchronizes with other peoples art or make statements I don’t really want to before I’m aware of the situation I’m commenting on. It drives me crazy and I can’t really control it or turn it off.<br /><br />I know it’s part of an intense creative world, one many artists talk about, which at least makes me feel I’m not on my own with this. My creativity opens this world up to me and the bigger the painting the more it opens up.<br />The problem is this isn’t a temporal world. That’s the real problem, as far as I can figure, it does and says things before they are due. It scares the shit out of me and it has done it again. I’m not going into the details but my art made a statement about a situation I knew nothing about at the time of creating it and had I known, I would not have said it.<br /><br />My art needs to explore this creative world it is the cornerstone of my art practice. I go along for the ride, it’s the way I create significant, multi layered art pieces. But then it catches me out. I remember once when I whole room of people fell silent, because I walked in with a finished piece of art that was in a brief they wanted me to do, the problem was they had not given me the brief yet, and I had no idea it was getting a brief. It was really horrible. My creativity gets it all backwards. It does and says things before they are due.<br /><br />The piece of work causing the problems this time, is the Red Repetition of the triptych. The blue and yellow pieces are currently in work. I’m going to finish these, and leave them going in this same direction as the red piece as they are mostly done. I already have an idea for the next repetition in this series, but this time, I’ll be focusing a very different subject matter in vasty different direction. No more musing, it just gets far too strange and when my own art work begins to frighten me, I need to focus on other creative directions. I’m developing two others so it's not a problem.<br /><br />Still, I’m surprised the Repetitions did this, I was just saying to a colleague how logical and easy the pieces were to creative, especially in comparison to the “wreckage “ series. How wrong was I? <br />You can see these pieces on my flickr site...link to the leftVirtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-49180722831041489232009-04-29T02:38:00.000-07:002009-04-29T02:45:52.954-07:00Tonight's RantI’ve been a bad mood all day because I’ve had dealings in the Melbourne art scene this week and it’s got to me again. I really try very hard not to let these people make so angry. But they do. Oh God they do.<br />Why do these art people have to be so unprofessional? Why do they think they have the right to take such a nasty and rude attitude with me? And this was just the admin staff. We create the paintings/art that allow them to have fucking stupid jobs in this industry and without us they would more than likely be working in a supermarket. I really deserve a little more respect and I want to be treated in a professional manner. She was such an vain bitch, it was unbelievable. This lot wouldn’t know professional if it ran over them.<br /><br />I had dealings with these so called art professionals last year. I had a nightmare meeting with them and it was one of the worst I have ever had to endure. One woman sat doodling on her note pad with a glazed look in her eyes while the other guy gave me a lecture on all the other brilliant artists he could think (most of which were popular and very conservative rather than brilliant) and taking almost zilch notice of my work. He gave me a lecture about correct art storage/transport as apparently I was not transporting my work properly. And finished in a patronizing tone reminding me that even if they decided not to proceed with my work I should always remember I was still an artist. Fucking tool. I was hardly going to be crushed and give up my art practice because of him, what an ego. Most professional artist’s are very used to knock backs, it part of a normal art practice, 20-30 knocks before you get a gig is quite normal even for the talented, it’s the way the system works.<br /><br />At one point I almost just got up and walked out but I didn’t want to play into their stupid little game so I stuck it out. Worst thing is I have to deal with twats again over the next few months and all their immature ego trips. Honestly, not all art people are this bad, there is professional behaviour in the Melbourne art scene, but still, there are many like this. I’ve know artists who have put in art proposals only to have them returned with comments so unnecessarily horrible, things like being told they have no colour sense, suggestions they need art lessons, all sort of crap, these people just love to crush them. And I know quite a few that have stopped painting because of it. This industry seems to attract a significant number of insecure , immature dickheads, desperate for attention with out of control egos.<br /><br />Any wonder I love showing my art on the internet. Ok, you don’t get to see work “in the flesh” but when I exhibit in galleries I would only have 200 or so people go through. I get that number and more per day online. Along with such encouraging feedback and support. People are nearly always friendly and not full of shit. The internet has such a vibrant art community.<br /><br />I’m happy showing my art electronically. I hope the internet can really threaten the bastards, next time I deal with these fucking tools, I will be mentioning the numbers of people viewing of my art online, the global presence I’m part of and all the wonderful feedback I get. What can they offer? Two hundred people, high commissions, gallery charges and a pretentious opening in one city. Hopefully, it will make them feel inadequate. Two can play at this game.<br /><br />And there ends tonight’s rant, that is much better out than in.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-62188558649357206402009-04-23T01:18:00.000-07:002009-04-23T02:02:18.874-07:00New AssemblageI've had the line 'One foot in the badlands" stuck in my head for the last few days. When this happens I kind of know it's either a piece of art or a poem struggling to get out.<br /><br />Today I realised <span style="font-style: italic;">One foot in the badlands </span>is a new assemblage, a style that I've been messing around with for a couple of months and I think it's finally coming together.<br /><br />I've been mesmerized lately with bill posters. I love the multiple layers of them, their impermanence, and the way they are often ripped or torn in some manner. I walked past a wall that was always covered in these things and someone had attempted to clean it up but not done a very good job of it. What they had left was multiple and ripped layers of bill posts, It looked absolutely amazing and I was so inspired by it. Fucking awesome. Really amazing. So there will be some pasting and then ripping off and pasting again, of copies of selected original pieces. Can't wait....I love ripping up my art...<br /><br />Further, I've been wanting to photograph drains and metal grates on the street so I think this will be another element of these pieces. These pieces will be exhibited on the floor. This one one has a "base board' but it will be an assemblage of layers of work.<br /><br />And later, I was walking to the studio from work today and the thought popped into my head,<br />" why don't you spray paint on these". I got really excited, being lover of graffiti, I think it's going to have to happen. I've wanted to use tinned paint for a while but I could never find the right work to do this on. Guess I can now. I really can't wait.<br /><br />So this will leave me with 3 styles/directions. The Repetitions, I am wreckage hear me roar series, and these.<br /><br />This will be an awesome mix and a great new experiment in my art practice. I'm starting this one on Saturday.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-67714717514066792132009-04-18T21:02:00.000-07:002009-04-18T21:41:50.431-07:00SensitivityI've had three weeks of my office job so I've been painting pretty much non stop. I've been doing 4 day bouts at the studio in Melbourne and mostly it's been great. I'm relaxed and rested, I've slept in and done what I wanted to. Drunk leisurely coffee at my favorite cafe, gone for long walks, spent time with my kids, it been good.<br /><br />I've written poetry, something I haven't done for some time, painted some great pieces and significantly pushed my art direction up quite a few levels. Not bad for three weeks. However, it's pushed my sensitivity level to everything around me to a much higher level too. The down side to my talent. I know this has been increasing over the past weeks but today it's been particularly bad. All my senses are just taking in far too much, I can't ignore what I usually do and I've become hyper sensitive to my surroundings. Noise annoys the crap out of me as do other people. I'm more sensitive to light and color. I get so over stimulated, I need to be somewhere quiet and dim. I hate being over stimulated. My mind works more quickly and I'm just overwhelmed by the simplest things. Not to mention the other more unusual 'abilities' or 'senses' I sometimes experience, I find myself predicting stuff, knowing what people going to say, and I think I might be picking up on other peoples emotions. It was driving me insane.<br /><br />Normally, I'm ok with this, I find a way to zone out, I play games on the iPhone, I find walking stops it or if it's later in the day I'll have a drink or two which dulls the affect. (I'd rather do that than take drugs.)<br /><br />This morning, on the way to the studio from my house in the country, I got stuck on a train packed with over an excited football crowd for the hour + trip. It was horrible. I couldn't zone them out. Fuck my head is still buzzing from it all. This is the shitty side of being creative.<br /><br />Anyway I ok now, I'm at the studio and it's really quiet. I've got a uni paper to edit that will dull it all down. Tomorrow I'm back at the office, the monotonous, boring office, that will give me some routine back and lower my levels of sensitivity. Other than that, I'm not painting today, I'm just going to do stuff here and maybe go for a walk.<br /><br />I'm starting to feel human again. The painting and words make it worth it though.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-37961965089014235832009-04-18T18:06:00.000-07:002009-04-18T18:10:35.860-07:00addictedI've become addicted to painting & drawing. I've given up my demanding friends in favor of more convenient ones so I can spend more time creating and locking myself away in a studio. I always feel so guilty about this but it's about time I stopped and just do what I want. It's a talent thing, when you can do what I can do, why would I want to do anything else. I need to stop giving myself shit about this.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-23183505724521879982009-04-17T19:39:00.000-07:002009-04-17T19:50:41.003-07:00Endlessnessthere is no end<br />there is only movement<br />through this<br />backwards and forwards<br />there is no finish<br />only continuity<br />driven by the heart<br />propelled by life<br />jolted by what we desire<br />all these moments should be loved<br />from the vulnerable and the lost<br />to when I run my fingers through your hair<br />they are all our moments in this endless flow<br /><br />virtue jo fern<br />18.4.09 12.4opmVirtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-69708241617387928642009-04-16T17:44:00.000-07:002009-04-16T17:51:55.720-07:00Trashed studio and a hangover<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcxs2l6ka4yyZjLMBn8fiGffCLc-HwJzSxjRN6for-VEKpk6JH5p4NnswZa2RFEuW8pIdZJHtRBp4EbdPhXgSAwsjEVHm3zazQtXzUTGIumR_f3yNdRjrHZl4MDexvu-vwTQaX-_xnr8/s1600-h/trashed-studio.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcxs2l6ka4yyZjLMBn8fiGffCLc-HwJzSxjRN6for-VEKpk6JH5p4NnswZa2RFEuW8pIdZJHtRBp4EbdPhXgSAwsjEVHm3zazQtXzUTGIumR_f3yNdRjrHZl4MDexvu-vwTQaX-_xnr8/s320/trashed-studio.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325455237824998658" border="0" /></a><br />Shit...I am wreckage hear me roar no 6 ... this one really hurt...I'm wiped out , hungover, I couldn't sleep and I needed serious numbing so I drank too much...not a great idea...I need to go home and sleep in my real bed, enough painting for the next few days...This series really takes it out of me...that was only the first paint on No 6...only 4 or5 more to go...don't want to think about it...I'm too tired...Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2906807596832176955.post-89964450492333971752009-04-14T06:33:00.000-07:002009-04-14T07:04:37.621-07:00My Iphone is driving me crazyI went down to Richmond in Melbourne today on the way to the studio, to buy a cheap sofa , I was looking for this particular shop that sold such sofas. I'm not really that familiar with Richmond and I ended up lost.<br /><br />Bloody I phone! It's has been slowly getting more erratic day by day, won't play music anymore, it's not letting now when I get emails, strange stuff.<br /><br />So I'm wondering around Richmond and I realise I'm lost. I get it out and type in the address for directions. First it tells me there no service. I'm in inner city Melbourne for fucks sake! I turn it off and on, about 6 more times and suddenly it comes good, service at last. I pump in the address BUT it only downloads the two pin heads, one green and one red and a nice purple line between the two and NOTHING ELSE. no map, no street signs, just a nice grey blank screen.<br />This is not very helpful!<br />So I turn it off and on again, and again, etc. No, still just the two pins heads and the nice purple line! AND NOTHING ELSE! it would be ok if I could see two GIANT FUCKING PINS IN THE STREET TO GUIDE ME!!!<br />I tell you I was standing in Bridge St Richmond Shaking the fuck out the thing. I then took to asking people on the street and no one knew where this address was. I was thinking, just go to the studio, forget it, It's got far too hard!!!<br />And I looked down and it had downloaded the map! Bloody device!<br /><br />So the outcome, I have a new, cheap, slightly damaged ( it's a studio sofa!) but very comfortable sofa arriving on Thursday.<br />The bastard device is going to the I phone hospital sometime this week.Virtue Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10005284639735545860noreply@blogger.com0