Keith Harings Universe includes Melburn Town

I never knew who Keith Haring was up until recently when my girlfriend gave me a book called Kings Way, which is a retrospective of Melbourne graffitti art from the last three decades.
The book features a section on Haring who came out to Australia in 1984 & was commissioned to paint afew permanent pieces. The only one that has stood the test of time is his "Worm with computer brain head"(ONE OF THE LARGEST KH MURALS LEFT IN THE WORLD) at Collingwood Secondary College in Johnston st Collingwood. I'd only seen a tiny photo of it in Kings Way, but on Australia Day (Jan 26th) this week we had a bbq & afew friends came over. Over some drunken banter, my friend Phoebe Parisia mentioned Keith Haring & his mural in Collingwood( that is in danger of being torn down by developers). Alarm bells rung in my head & I had to vizzy the painting, so we walked down & had a peep. I was stoked to see it! Afterwards I did some research into Haring & was shocked to hear of his young death at 31. I had to know more, so I rented the recent documentary "The Universe of Keith Haring" by director Christina Clausen & was blown away by what I saw. What an amazing, talented person, his art has a fantastic flowing, simplistic application but is so mezmerizing.
I am happy to have been transported through Keith Harings universe & am upset that I didn't know who he was when I was living in New York...Rock on KH....Save The Keith Haring Mural at Collingwood Secondary College! Don't Tear it down!

Peace,

Gustav.

Nor Cal Bureau, January Twenty Third, 2010
"Dead Man's. I'm afraid to surf it."
Sounds about right.

If You haven't, You Should

Either try to contribute and/or look at contributions. #4 is presented. Click on the Johnny Knapp photo.

All The World is a great book by Liz Garton Scanlon & Marla Frazee. The only discernible problem with it is that it creates uncontrollable longing for the California coast. Otherwise, it is required Endless Bummer bed time (and pre-breakfast time, apparently, as shown above) reading.

The Internet: Everywhere You Want To Be

Via Grant Cornett. Via Erik Barnes. Via the guy with the dotcom on the photos.

North County Bureau o1.10.10

"The Rash"

Winter Wonderland

San Francisco Bureau, Princeton Jetty o1.o9.1o

That one year, it must have been 1998, or was it the beginning of '99? Anyhow, I am working at the TV studio, Wifey at the fashion place, we hear the contest was on and we both ditch work and drive down in our jalopy '72 Volvo sedan, or maybe it was the Golf? Either way, we stop at Taco Bell for bean burritos near Pacifica somewhere, or maybe it was Daly City? Wherever, we make it down to Half Moon in record time and find a lucky good parking spot, planting ourselves up on the bluffs. Lots of big name people were about. Lots of excitement. I still recall that day fondly. Mostly because Wifey unexpectedly sprung our trap. Full of surprises, that one. To this day.
-Toddy

Wategos Bureau, Sometime in the last Week, or So

Someone said, or many people have, that one of the magic mysteries of surfing, at least for now, is that we can meet the mythic heroes of our lore in person; we can paddle right next to them in the lineup. Jamie Watson's old man took some beautiful photos of Buttons Kaluhiokalni and has warm story to tell. Click on the photo...

I've had so many people tell me I'd just love Australia. That Australia would be the place for me. "You really gotta visit Australia. It would be perfect for you. You'll never want to leave."

I have friends go there, come back, go there, stay, never come back, go there come back and go there again. Sometimes things seem further away than they are. In thirty five years I think I have nearly perfected the process by which my mind needlessly puts things at arm's length.

Someday, Australia, I will visit you and you will be a like an old lover bumped into awkwardly at a twenty year reunion.

-Toddy