Artist: Marie-Louise Ekman

One of the joys of travelling is discovering the unexpected.  Let me introduce you to Marie-Louise Ekman. You can find out more about her here: https://www.modernamuseet.se/stockholm/en/exhibitions/marie-louise-ekman/

Her work is colourful, clever, funny and sometimes a little bit disturbing.   

Reykjavik street art

Hutong street art

Odd One Out Gallery

I stumbled on this gallery by chance a few weeks ago, it's in a great little area with a mix of interesting shops in the laneways around. It was closed and I was sad because I could tell by the writing on the shop window that this was a place for me.

So I returned a week or so later on a Wednesday and was met by the lovely owner and stacks of interesting prints and letterpress cards. Such a great way to spend an hour on a hot afternoon and the gallery also has a cafe attached.  I met an artist, found a kindred spirit, flirted with a baby, bought a print and left with a happy heart. 

If you are in Hong Kong over the next few weeks try and catch Yiyu Lam's exhibition. It's a clever little show where he connects ideas and symbols around Catholicism with a myth around minotours. See for yourself:

14 St. Francis Street Wanchai, Hong Kong
Open Tuesday - Sunday 12 - 7.30pm

100 Days in China - Day 109

How much fun was the cat cafe?! Bad cocktails and good cats. And a lot of hand sanitiser.

100 Days in China - Day 605

Before and after....the highs and lows of dating:

The Popular Pet Show

Never would I have thought I would type the words "great paintings by Ken Done". But there you have it. This exhibition included some touching pet portraiture from Ken Done - a lovely series commemorating the dogs he has owned over the years. And a dog that is the spitting image of B Dog, no?

Other standouts - Nicholas Harding's beautiful watercolour portaits of famous folk with pets. I didn't take any photos because I was too busy looking. Amazing paintings - personalities captured in the immediacy of watercolour paint in a larger scale. Made me itch to paint like that again. I guess we'll need to wait and see on that.

The exhibition is over now, but there is much information available at: http://www.portrait.gov.au/exhibitions/the-popular-pet-show-2016

100 Days in China - Day 623

Social & Co is our home away from home in Guangzhou city. A place of good cocktails, great music, fresh food, friendly faces and fun times. We are lucky to have it. 

Day 623 in China coincides with their 3rd birthday and my favourite cocktail ' The First Wife' inspired this little painting. Happy Birthday!

100 and something days in China - Day 308

I'm guessing on the day here....but it was about at the 8 week mark, then working forwards to when you were born and backwards to when I arrived...

Either way it was exciting news to receive in the coffee line of espresso to go.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

It started snowing on the train ride, and then white flakes of snow drifted on the walk from the station to the museum and it was just like I was in a dream. Then a glimpse of the ocean, all whitewash and grey. Breathtaking.

Louise Bourgeois exhibition, a hot chocolate and danish for a late breakfast and a wander through the sculpture garden in the snow. And that ocean view. One of the best days of my life.
https://en.louisiana.dk