RadishStick

I've just returned from the most awesome week in which I saw Muse TWICE, and stood in the FRONT ROW for the first concert, and PHYSICALLY HELD MATT BELLAMY'S RIGHT HAND, and MADE EYE CONTACT with Chris thereby becoming Wolstenpregnant, and SANG DOM HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and what do I find when I check my messages?
HOLY FLIPPIN' SHIT, A DD!!! AND FOR A SHORT STORY, NO LESS!!
This truly is the cherry on top of the Cake of Wonder that has been the last seven days.
A Daily Deviation is something I never expected to get, despite wishing I could. I am blown away by not only my selection but also the fantastic comments people have left on the deviation page. I was surprised that this particular story was chosen, as I don't think it's the absolute best thing I have ever written, but also thrilled that this story brightened so many people's days, with some even exploring the rest of my gallery.
A ginormous thank you to for giving me this honour!
I've been thinking of creating a journal compiling all the artwork I've done in 2013, but instead I think I'll make a little 2013 literature compilation. All of my stories and various other writings tend to differ greatly from one another, so hopefully there's something here to suit everyone's tastes. Enjoy!


I Belong To You  I hate rain. Not really, I love it. Just not when the most beautiful, perfect, wonderful, perfect, comfortable, waterproof, perfect coat in existence has been savagely butchered by my so-called friend’s Dalmatian. Every slap of rain on my naked arms is a stinging reminder of the irreparable hole in my wardrobe.
  Some people might try to fill the void with lesser coats but I can’t bring myself to betray Valentino, even after her death. Instead my slippery arms grapple with each other in wet shock as I stumble to the op shop, clinging to one last thread of hope. I know in my deadened heart that I’ll never have another coat like her. Yet here I am, blundering through the elements in my vain search for the acceptance and warmth I found wrapped in Valentino’s woollen sleeves.
  Thud. My body slams into the door, making the ‘open’ sign quiver and the bells tinkle in offense. I fight for entry, the door’s assault doubled by the stale funk of


Death of a Flight AttendantTo the check-in lady
Whom I met just now in Albury,
If not for you I just might
Not have missed the bloody flight.
I think you should know that with suitcase in tow
I was one of five people in sight
This morning, as you sipped your latte
And strode past me in the tiny cafe.
The young customs guy caught your beady eye,
Pointed me out, then hurried away.
I don’t blame him, really,
In your pose I saw clearly
That questioning you would be something quite new
To one so lifeless and dreary.
Nevertheless, I gave it a shot,
But of course you said you simply could not
Re-open the desk, you smelly old pest,
So I hope in an Indian sewer you rot.
And as I sit here irate,
While for the next flight I wait,
I admit to some pity, for your life must be shitty
To make you so smug when I’m five minutes late.
By now I’d be waiting in Melbourne airport
And the plane to Adelaide I’d easily have caught.
So please – as you pass, kiss my grounded arse,
Then prepare an occ. health

Healing the EarthA shiver runs along my skin as the Sun stretches its rays over the tips of the eastern ranges. I feel the coarseness of the soil sliding around my roots as they retreat back into my flesh, having taken their fill from the Earth. I know one day I will return her treasures and the thought, my first of the day, is as warming as the Sun.
It takes a while to wake living at this altitude; for a moment I lie still as my thoughts gradually gain speed and eloquence. Deep breaths refresh my cells and a sense of clarity runs along my body. In a rush of energy I leap from the damp ground, shaking dew from my limbs and startling a sparrow, who departs in a brown flurry. I take in my surroundings.
The forest I stand with is perched on a mountainside; sometimes I hear the rocks grinding and crunching inside beneath the surface, but today all is still. Summer has banished the icy north wind and greened all my fellows with melted snow and rain. My own violet body has shed its thick down in favour of a

Atoms       Everything is made of atoms. Air, metal, plastic, concrete, wire, milk, glass, tables, linoleum, microwaves, frozen lasagne. People. Groups of atoms making matter making cells making tissues making organs making systems making bodies.
       This is what Peter thinks as the microwave mmmmmmmmmms. The spinning pre-cooked meal is a hypnotist’s pendant to his vacant eyes, creating a trance in which he is free to explore the possibilities locked in his head.  
       In childhood, Peter was easily amused. Toasting, squeezing, stretching, painting and eating. These were his favourite things. He despised watching television. His mother said he was a born artist. Peter didn’t like being called an artist; artists only moved things around and put them back in different places. Something bigger called to Peter: the urge to change things. The bread became toast; the lemon juice separated from the lemon; the

And my favourite:
Collisions       We kiss. It's slow and tender and written all over our skin is 'I love you', but we don't say it; there's no need. And suddenly I want him, I want to know every facet fact fear feeling that makes him, I want to have known him for years and years. I push hard against the warm wet of his lips. I want to consume him. I bite him, and he groans -
       and he groans -
       and I'm a young mass of frozen nerves, terrified of the possibilities of the moment as he grips his skull like he wants to rip it open, tendons clenching against the hard bone the hard table the cold floor the cold air the PAIN. How can I help? 'Call an ambulance!' he grits out.
       I run for the phone but what's the number? What's the number what's the number what's the - phone book. Front page. Triple zero. How could I forget that? I've wasted so much time. And it hits me that this is an emergency, this calls for an ambulance, and I call for an ambulance. I stand next to him, too afraid to reach out

Yes! Many an occurrence has occurred! Apologies if I irritated any of my watchers with all the photos from Big Day Out but that was, of course, one of the big occurrences. I uploaded about 60% of the final photos here, so if you want to see the lot as well as my review, click this link: soundcheck411.com/big-day-out-… although the quality is not as good as on DA.

I bought myself a 12-month premium membership using the points that have been donated to me by many a generous deviant over the years! It feels good to have earned it and to know I won't have to worry about getting a new one every three months - I just hope I earn enough points this year to renew it at the end!

I got into the Creative Writing course that I was so nervous about, which is absolutely fantastic and brilliant and YES! But the catch is that the course doesn't allow for deferrals, so I'm off to Flinders University at the start of March! Things are working out quite well, though. It's not what I wanted or prepared for, having previously expected to have a gap year, but this course will be worth it so it's an easy choice! Consequently you can probably expect me to be uploading a lot more literature this year!

It's been pretty erratic, hasn't it? Lots of art, then lots of photography, and now who knows what? But I love it. I love having an undefined style because it's so limitless, there are no restrictions. Well, there are if we're speaking literally, but you know what I mean!

I may be shooting Ed Sheeran and Passenger in about two weeks, and after that I'm going to Soundwave (but may not have a photo pass), then... WOMADelaide!!!! My inner hippie can be fully released.

Anyway, from the 4th of March I expect to be bombed with an amount of mind-bending work designed to test the limits of my determination not to say 'fuck it' and pursue a less dignified career on the streets, so with this in mind I don't think I'll be writing another journal any time soon!

But art is a guarantee, whether it be photography, art, writing or something completely different.
Wish me luck, and I'll wish you safe travels, fair flying, laughter, good company, and may the wind be always at your back!

RadishStick

I have recently submitted 22 of my works as prints and would greatly appreciate any and all support! The reason I am suddenly getting into prints is that I really can't go much longer without going back to Ireland. I miss it too much and next year I am having a gap year in which to work and earn money, and I want to make sure that it's enough to get me back to Ireland!
So, in saying that, I should announce that all funds I receive from print sales will be going directly towards my return ticket to Ireland.
(Although the amount the artist actually gets from print sales is, I have now realised, pretty measly. If you're feeling generous note me!)
These are the images that can now be bought:
                                       

Anyway if I still have your interest after that, here's the general update! School is over at long last and as is the case with most graduating students I have mixed feelings about it! I'm mostly just very glad that this stressful school year is over, though.
Strangely I haven't lost my art inspiration, unlike every other time when I haven't had a class to motivate me! Yay! Hopefully it remains with me for a long time! I'm taking a gap year now, as mentioned above, to make money and hopefully travel at the end of it, before the uni year begins. I wonder what courses I'll get into! My first preference is a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. Neither of the universities I am interested in have a single art course! Unbelievable!
So yes, I'm loving having the time to actually read books for pleasure!! And without feeling guilty!!! Ahhhhh, it's fantastic.
That will do for now, I don't feel much like writing today. Please buy a print if you can and support my goal of returning to Ireland! If there is another work of mine that you would like as a print, just let me know!
Happy festive season!
RadishStick

Do something real to fight global hunger and help people who are chronically hungry and living in poverty: donate to my 40 Hour Famine! Any and all donations will be really appreciated! If you let me know you've donated, I'll feature you in my next journal as a way of saying thanks.
40 Hour Famine funds support projects that fight hunger in Ethiopia, East Timor, Nepal, Tanzania, Kenya, India and Laos and help World Vision respond to emergencies and other needs around the world.
$40 can feed a family of five for a month!
Here is my donation page: www.worldvision.com.au/40HF/Pr…
In other news, I have been highly productive with both my photography and my art this year, as I am studying both in my final year of school. I haven't written many creative pieces though, because my English course is focused more around essays and analyses. It's generally fun though, and it's probably my best subject!
Despite producing a lot of good art and photography, I haven't really uploaded much to Deviant Art, particularly in the case of art. This can be explained by my very busy year of school! I do have enough free time, but a combination of laziness and procrastination makes me do things other than upload deviations!
So I'll tell you what's been happening.

Photography has just been a blur of taking great photos, editing them, and moving on. The best I have uploaded here, I think. Currently I'm focusing on surreal photography, as evidenced by a couple of photomanipulations I've recently uploaded!
Art began with a visual study of portraiture, the results of which included Soldier and Lykke Li. I never got around to submitting a nicer quality version of Soldier but there's a good enough scan of Lykke Li somewhere in my gallery! Then, for my first folio task, I focused on abstract art and abstract expressionism, which involved a lot of less abstract experiments in different mediums. I did some nice ink paintings in this period. The climax of this was my first attempt at using oil paints, an abstract depiction of Autumn leaves which I am very proud of! I will upload a photo when I've taken one of good enough quality. Now, for my second folio task, I'm focusing on pen. I've done a number of experiments, mainly using black felt tip, and found inspiration for using colour on Deviant Art. As such, I am currently working on a coloured ballpoint drawing of a photograph of an old woman named Rowena Cade, which I found in a National Geographic magazine. This is going brilliantly, and although it takes a painfully long time to do, I am finding working with coloured pens to create subtle shades and tones really enjoyable. I am very proud of Rowena (who shares my name!) and will definitely upload a scan/photo when she's done! Maybe even a W.I.P. if anyone requests it.
So there we are! All updated. Until next time!
P.S. please donate to my 40 hour famine page! www.worldvision.com.au/40HF/Pr…