I was looking for something balanced and constructive to wrap up this semester’s livejournal efforts. Early in Shaun’s entry for week 12, he echoes Wordsworth, declaring William Blake mad. This is balanced, I thought, I can work with this. They do say that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. I think that we label the greatest ( Read more... )

b) Write a detailed description of the painting you enjoyed most.
I admit first to being a bit of a history nerd
I think that's why works like Tom Roberts' "Bailed Up" appeal to me. I felt that this work had a sense of history embedded in it. I like the way the bush rangers are depicted as the main participants in the image. I felt this subverted ( Read more... )

b) With specific reference to Megan Heyward’s of day, of night do you think that the components of hypertext (text, image, sound, and interactivity) allow the contemporary creative artist to break through to new ways of engaging their audience ( Read more... )

This is in response to Marc's LJ for week 9 which can be found here.

I quite agree with what you've said about the humbling effect of Malouf not having all the answers. In light of the creative writing unit I'm doing at the moment, I also found his idea that an author never truly reads their own story interesting. Thinking about it, I have to agree ( Read more... )

a) What did you find most valuable about David Malouf’s visit?
I found it interesting that Malouf drew such strong links between the poetry of William Blake and his own work. These connections helped me to understand some of where "The Great World" was coming from and gave me a few new things to think about. For example, the pair of"Chimney ( Read more... )

I liked the way you summarized Wright’s intention - to challenge, recreate and touch the psyche of her audience. I’m intrigued by your assertion of what a “poet is supposed to do” and what a poet’s purpose is. It reminded me of Shelley’s idea that poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world. I think that you’ve captured these ideas really ( Read more... )

I loved Judith Wright's "Bora Ring." I felt that it captured the deep sense of loss felt by the Aboriginal people. The breakdown of oral tradition led to the loss of cultural knowledge. The language, rituals and stories have been lost or are not understood by the contemporary Aboriginal people. I felt that the poem acted in a similar function to ( Read more... )

This is in response to Maddy's entry for week 4 which can be found here

I have to agree with your interpretation of "The Ferry" by E. Phillips Fox. I can't get over how realistic the water looks, as though you could reach out and touch it. I agree that the image looks almost like a photo but I think it has more fluidity than a photo normally would. ( Read more... )

b) Write a detailed description of the painting you enjoyed most.
I admit first to being a bit of a history nerd
I think that's why works like Tom Roberts' "Bailed Up" appeal to me. I felt that this work had a sense of history embedded in it. I like the way the bush rangers are depicted as the main participants in the image. I felt this subverted ( Read more... )

Response to Michael's Week 2 entry Auguries of Innocence

I'm not entirely sure that it is Blake who sees the world in a grain of sand but rather he seeks the ability to do so. For Blake I think this image represents that heightened awareness of the world and the ability to access something beyond the literal and material. I think that it is a ( Read more... )