Christmas Came Early

Things have been pretty busy lately and I haven't had the chance to do many really exciting things.  I am doing a good job of drinking as much Australian wine as I can and I'm yet to be let down by what I've found.  In fact, I just opened up a case of 2012 cleanskin Riesling from the Clare Valley which is arguably one of the best Riesling producing regions in the world.  Cleanskins are wineries that don't label their wine and sell it for a lot less than what the labeled wines in the bottle shop will go for.  The tip is to figure out who the producer is instead of buying just a blind wine.  A little bit of research goes a long way.  At $8 a bottle, it's right on par with the $26 dollar a bottle this particular producer makes with his label on the bottle.  But, not to get off topic.

Over the past few months though, I've continued my quest to find things to hang on my wall.  Since I'm approaching three years since moving here, even I'm getting a bit tired of the white walls.  Even my parents are giving me crap about the "minimalist" decor.  I've been going to auctions for the past year after finding one a back in early 2012 with a work by an artist that I've become, well, obsessed with.  Since that first auctions, I've been to probably 8-10 over the past year.  It's been pretty interesting meeting people in the art world in Sydney and it doesn't hurt that they serve the good booze at the previews.  There have always been a piece or two that I had my eye on, but I needed a good deal before I'd go all in.

I must say that the live auction requires a lot more strategy than eBay.  There's no waiting until the last minute and dropping your bid just higher than the current bid.  I've found you have to plan it better.  In all the auctions I've been two, I got truly involved in probably two bidding wars.  Both times my heart was ready to pound out of my chest.  Not having the best strategy going in I wasn't sure if I go in with a strong bid higher than the auctioneers number to scare people off or try the ebay strategy.  Wait, pounce and cross your finger.  I tried the ebay option but what I failed to realize that there's no ending time until the auctioneer says it's over.  Needless to say, despite the increased heart rate, I had to bow out.  But, like a drug, it was fun.

In that time, I saw a few Australian artists that I was drawn too.  I'm not really sure why, but it was what seems to be the best representations of modern/contemporary Art.  Granted, some of that was reaffirmed seeing works by these artists in the major art museums in Sydney like the Museum of Contemporary Art Australian and the New South Wales Art Gallery.  The art auctions I was going to were the largest auction houses in Australia because they had the best selection and the best wines.  After my failed attempts I started looking, and more importantly finding, some smaller auction houses.  And that's where my luck started to change.

A few weeks ago I booked a goGet (ZipCar equivalent) and headed up to the Central Coast to a small auction house because there was an original work by one of the artists I wanted to have on my walls.  Jasper Knight is a Sydney based artist who has started to reach the global markets.  One of the Sydney galleries around the corner from my flat was exhibiting at Art Basel in Miami last week and brought a few of his works.  Hopefully that's a good sign.  So, to the good part.  This was one of the last lots and again, I started to get antsy as the lot got close.  Based on the audience here (older) I decided to wait to see who jumped in first.  I wasn't optimistic based on the number of people talking about this artist.  So, when the lot came up I searched the room for the other potential buyers and waited.  And, the best thing happened.  No one bid.  So the auctioneer dropped the starting bid.  He said he went below the reserve the seller wanted to go and said he wouldn't go lower so I raised my paddle and waited.  Trying not to look anxious, I searched the room without turning my neck or look too excited.  The auctioneer took it to at least 5 final asks before dropping the hammer.  Finally, after 2 and a half years I was going to have something for my walls at half the price of a similar sized original work that was auctioned at a major auction house in Sydney just 4 days prior.

That was the start of the Spring auction season.  There have been probably 2 auctions a month in Sydney and most have had works by the artist that I really wanted to get an original by, Adam Cullen.  The same artists who has a hotel named after him in Melbourne that I stayed at earlier this year for that reason.  While I did go to most of them and got in a few bids, I always came up empty.  It got to the point where I was even bidding on etchings and prints.  Even though I wanted an original, because of the artists death I dropped my requirement and changed to getting something with the subject that I wanted, original, print or etching.

So flash forward to earlier this week.  An auction house was having an auction to liquidate a private collectors super fund.  The super fund is the equivalent of the 401(k) except you can invest in more than just mutual funds.  With some strict requirements you can buy art and, up until a few years ago, you could even buy wine.  Anyways, someone was ready to cash in their art collection to retire.  And, as luck would have it, there were three works by Adam Cullen.  All subjects that I wanted.  there were originals and prints, so I calculated my maximums and went in hoping.  And wouldn't you know it, no one else in the room, for the first time in all the auctions I've been to, no one else wanted the Adam Cullen's.  They were all no reserve so I went in on the original at the minimum.  And I won.  This was below my max so I had some money left that I was willing to spend on the first original.  Then the first print came up.  I grabbed the minimum and I won.  Again at the minimum.  The third came up and with a bit left on my max for the first one I jumped in.  AND WON at the minimum.  Before I knew it I had three pieces, one original and two massive artist or printers proofs by the one Australian artist that I wanted to have on my walls.  I was pretty pumped.  Now, I would have preferred a numbered edition, the artist and printers proofs do have that extra bit of exclusivity that I'm hoping don't hurt the value down the road.

The middle picture is entitled "kelly" which is probably Adam Cullen's most famous subject.  Ned Kelly was Australia's most infamous convicts.  He fashioned his own armor after he killed three policemen when he ran to the bush to hide.  The bottom image is titled "kelly hunter."  The homemade amour travels the country from museum to museum.  Despite the quick and hasty look of the dripping paint, every stroke is precise.

I was on such an auction high there was another work by an aboriginal artist, Lily Kelly Napangardi, that I've seen at a few of the larger auctions and I had wanted.  Aboriginal art is very much about story telling.  The thousands of years of the communities history are passed down through art.  This story telling is often referred to as Dreamtime stories.  Lily Kelly Napangardi was named one of the top 50 Australian artists a few years back.  She is also one of the senior law persons of the Watiyawanu community and the custodian over the Women's Dreamtime stories associated with Kunajarrayi.  Obviously an important role within the community.  So, that lot came up and I put in the minimum bid and low and behold, I won.

This piece is called "Sand Hills" and is a depiction of an area near Alice Springs.  Most aboriginal artists will not divulge the meaning behind their art as it holds their communities historical past.  It's become very important in the last few years to help protect these artists and the copyright of their art to make sure that it comes from a reputable source.  I made sure that I got a certificate of authenticity with this piece that includes a few pictures of the artist working on and holding up the finish piece.

This has been a big success for me to help build up a collection of physical works to bring back to remind me of my time here, whenever I decide to come back.  But there are plenty of more auctions to go to, so I'm in no rush.

I got the works delivered this morning and in the span of 6 weeks I'm running out of wall space.  And pretty chuffed with the deals that I got.  And I'm learning that my walls are concrete and it's difficult to hang paintings in concrete.  Time to get creative.  Until the next auction...

FACT: Live auctions are more difficult that eBay auctions

My quest after two and a half years to get something on my walls has still come up empty.  In that time, I've found two Australian artists that I'm trying to find affordable works by, but am not having much luck.  Both of the artists I'm trying to find originals (not prints) by I've come across at art auctions.  It's been an interesting experience so far.  I've attended three to date, but have come up empty each time.  After last night's auction though, I'm starting to get the hang of it and starting to see how others are getting bargains.  While not necessarily pieces that are true investment pieces because most won't be known outside of Australia, I can hopefully find some pieces to hang on my walls that represent Australian art (aboriginal and contemporary).

The one artist that seems to be a bit more available is Anthony Lister.  The problem I'm finding here is that he's starting to take off on the global scene.  Which would be good if I found out about him a year or two ago, but I'm getting to the party after the prices have started to rise.  Most of his shows seem to be in the US or in Europe which is making original works by him more difficult to find in Australia.  It doesn't seem like he's done a show in Australia in 2012, so I'm still hoping that there's a chance for that.  We'll just have to see.

The other artist that I've been searching for and want to find a piece by is Adam Cullen.  I came across him about a year ago at an auction preview and have been hooked since.  There is a chain of hotels in Melbourne who have built hotels around the works of three different Australian artists and Adam Cullen was the first project.  I stayed there back in March when I was there for a weekend for a concert.  That trip probably gave me the most hope that I might be able to find an original work by him.  I stopped by the local gallery to see if they had anything in the stockroom and was told that they were going to be having a show in July with new works.  I continued to look around in the primary and secondary markets and while I found some pieces, there weren't anything I really liked.

So fast forward to a few weeks ago, I got the email about the latest auction that had a work by Adam at a very reasonable price considering what I'd seen both currently on the market and recent sold prices.  And, I liked the work.  He's done two different subjects that I like and this was the first one that was in the right price range.  Then about a week after getting the auction catalog I got news that he had passed away.  I had been talking with a local art dealer trying to find works and knew he wasn't well, but it never came across as life threatening.  There was a huge outpouring in the local art community, even for people who didn't really like his works.  And as a result, the market for available works went out of control.

Adam Cullen - untitled (feral pig)

The expected price on the particular lot went up by 50%.  I figured I'd still go for it, but with an even smaller chance of winning.  The one lesson I learned in attending an art auction is to not drink.  If you do, sometimes you end up with something that looks like this (appropriately named "The Crash"):

Despite having top shelf booze at this event, I stayed away.  I had to wait through 250 some odd lots (including a few Anthony Lister works) until the lot I wanted.  And then the adrenaline started flowing.  There was some interest from absentee ballots so the starting bid was higher than I hoped.  I wanted everyone else to bid and drop out before I started, but no one else was bidding.  For fear that they'd drop the hammer, I jumped in only to be outbid by another absentee bid.  So I flashed my number and was again outbid.  With little room left before my time to drop out (thankful I'm sober at this point), I'm sitting alone with the current bid.  And then there's silence.  My heart is going a mile a minute while my brain is yelling at the auctioneer to drop the damn hammer already.  This would be a good price so drop the hammer already and declare me the winner.

And then, the plan unravels.  Someone on a phone throws up a bid.  I sit for a minute as the auctioneer throws the bid back to me if I want it.  And at this point I know that my eBay experience has completely failed me.  I feel like I've jumped in too soon.  I can feel everyone around staring at me, the amateur.  I sit tight for what was probably 10 seconds, but felt longer and I threw up my bid card as two others in the room did as well.  The auctioneer gave the bid to me as an active bidder previously.  Neither of the other two people seemed keen to go higher so I was feeling better, but still not confident.  Then, the phone bidder sent the dagger.  Upped me one past my max bid.  The auctioneer threw it back to me but I had to tap out.  Maybe if I went through a few bottles of champagne waiting I would have continued, but thankfully didn't.  There were a few smaller bids between the phone duo and when the hammer dropped, I was again without anything to hang on my walls.  Bummer.

I haven't given up yet, but it's not looking good.  I'm just hoping that his estate has a stock pile of works that he had been working on and hopefully they make it into some galleries at some point.  His estate is going through with a previously committed show up in Singapore, but the only piece I liked from that show is already sold. To an Australian collector no less.

I'll just have to hone my live auction skills in hopes I come across another original.  Until then, I'll just have to continue with the minimalist white wall theme in my apartment.

Efficient Sightseeing in the Kimberley

I figured since I made the trip all the way out to the northern part of Western Australia to swim with the Whale Sharks, I'd take a few extra days and head even farther north to Broome to spend a few days on the beach and exploring the remote Kimberley Region.  As with just about every place I've been in Australia, there is an infinite amount to do, but most of it doesn't get much coverage in guide books.  I did a bit of research to try to find the most efficient way to see the most of the region.  I knew I was going to miss a few things, but it seemed like the best way to see it was from the air.

I booked a half day trip with Kimberley Aviation to get a the best view possible.  We flew north past Derby and were told stories about the crocs and the unfortunate and sometimes lucky stories that have made it out from those that camped in the area.  We continued north past areas where the Australian military would drop soldiers off for days at a time to teach them survival techniques.  Being able to look around and see what was out there, or not as the case may be, that's not something I'd look forward to.

We started to descend from 2,500 feet to about 1,200 to get a close of view of the Horizontal Falls.  It's a unique occurrence that happens only in this one spot.  Basically, when the tides are rising or falling, the water is forced between two small openings and from the sky, it looks like a waterfall.  It was quite the site seeing the tiny boats try to get as close as possible to the opening.  The plane was the newest in the fleet as well.  It was only a week old and loaded with all the latest in electronics.  I got a bit of a chuckle as we were descending to get a closer look at the falls to see the GPS start flashing "TERRAIN ADVISORY" as we got closer to the mountains.  There were too many hands in the way to get a picture of that, unfortunately.

After the Horizontal Falls, we turned west towards the Buccaneer Archipelago.  This is an area made up around 1,000 small islands that dot the coast.  It was quite a stunning sight with the mid-morning sun shining down.  The itself area was formed over millions of years as the water started rising up on the previous coastline.  Our pilot for the day would help point out islands that were or are still the home of aboriginal communities.

We eventually came in for a slightly bumpy landing at Cape Leveque.  It's a small camp area suited for camper vans.  It was a nice feeling knowing that we wouldn't have to drive 3 plus hours through red dirt roads to get back to Broome later.  They set up a nice breakfast for us overlooking the Indian Ocean and then we had some free time to water around.  The biggest attraction there was probably the beach.  With the amount of Iron Ore in the ground, the sand is a deep red.  But on the beach, there was a distinct line where the red dirt and sand of the road merged into the white sand beach.  The rock formations on the beach were a brilliant red.  Seeing this stretch on for miles makes you understand why Australia was able to survive most of the GFC through the mining boom.

After a quick dip we took off again and headed back along the coast for Broome.  We got more history of the area and a few humpback whales as they came up for air.  Seeing them from 4,500 feet made me appreciate their size even more when they popped up next to us in the water just a few days prior.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen but would have required a drive was on the Dampier Peninsula.  There is an aboriginal community who has built a church with much of the insides apparently made from mother of pearl.  The Kimberley Region has a deep history in pearl mining.  With jewelry shops on every corner selling the local treasure and the age old cemetery dedicated to those that died while pearling, there are deep ties to the Japanese and Chinese who were some of the first to dive for pearls.


The rest of trip was spent relaxing at the beach and at the pool.  I went to check out the town a bit, but having only 15,000 people, the downtown was pretty sparse.  Mainly backpacker hostels, jewelry shops and the typical tourist shops.  Luckily they also have a local brewery so I was able to get some decent pub curry and beers.  Though I stayed away from their mango and lychee beers.  Even on the hottest of days, those wouldn't sound too appealing to me.

The only bad thing about the weekend was having to take the red eye straight into work on Wednesday.  Well, and my decision to not get a hotel room the first night in Perth, but rather try and parlay what I would have paid for a hotel room on the blackjack tables.  It didn't come out too bad, but I certainly didn't fund the rest of the trip between when my plane landed at 11pm and the next one took off at 6am.  But on the bright side, I only have to find a casino in South Australia and I can say I've played blackjack in every Australian state.

UN-BE-LIE-VA-BLE

I'm not even sure where to begin. I booked another adventure trip that dealt with mother nature so there was no guarantee. And on the bus ride to the dock, the crew wanted to make sure everyone knew that nothing is guaranteed. Though they were hopeful.
It was a beautiful winter day in the upper 20s (low 80s) and the water was 27.2c. You can do the conversion on that one. Anyways, we loaded onto the boat for a day long adventure. We started out with a 30 minute snorkeling stop so everyone could get used to snorkeling again and so the crew could teach any newbies. I made a rookie mistake and cleared my camera memory card minutes before jumping in and somehow locked it and I couldn't figure how to unlock it. So unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of this part which is a disappointment because we were snorkeling just feet above massive stingrays. I'm talking 6 feet across. Not those small ones you see at an aquarium. I'm just hoping the crew got a picture because they were massive. And knowing how Steve Irwin died makes you appreciate their docile nature even more.
That aside, I readjusted quite well and soon we were back on the boat heading out. Even before we left the reef to open water we could see Dugongs (similar to a manatee), pacific dolphins and way in the distance (this time) humpback wales breaching the surface. The crew was quick to point out these awesome things already just in case there was any let down later. Even though they've had a 100% sighting since the season opened mid March. It was after 10am now so the spotter planes were in the sky looking to direct the boats (there were 4 other companies on the water looking for the same experience and three planes).
If you didn't know what I was going for, I was hoping to have a close encounter with the largest fish in the ocean. The Whale Shark. Rumor has it they can grow to 20 plus meters (yes METERS - do the conversion) and reach ages up to around 80 years old. At the rate we were going I would have been happy with a juvenile. The crew complimented us on our patience as we watched the 3 adult humpback whales and one calf show off. That itself was pretty cool.








Then the crew it jumped into action after getting a message from a spotter plane. I was in group one which meant to had a put on my wetsuit as fast as I could and get to the back of the boat ready to go. And boy did I. The spotter Meg was the first one in and swimming fast. We held back until getting this signal to get in.
We got instruction on what to do in the water while I the boat, but honestly I didn't remember a thing once in. The one other crew in the water directed nine of us but I don't think it mattered because the last thing I remember hearing was FACES DOWN! I plunged my face down but didn't know where to look. Straight down? Everyone was on my right so I stared right, but nothing. I poked my head up to see where everyone else was but their faces were still down. Frustrated thinking I'm missing everything I put my face back down and look left, duh. And not 6 feet away was the mouth of a fucking whale shark. Like a deer in a set of head lights I froze, staring straight at a 5 meter long whale shark. Too panicked to try to take my first photo (I switched cards thankfully), I swam, turned and snapped.




Holy awesomeness. None of the photos I took had any sort of zoom. I was that close to the largest fish in the world. And I was free to swim next to it as long as I kept behind the fins (giving the shark 180 degrees of clear vision), 3 meters from the side and 4 meters from the tail. But my lack of preparedness when swimming to get out of the way of a shark got the better of me a few times and I was right next to these great fish. And boy are they something else when you're up close and personal.
After 5 minutes we had to retreat do the next group could go so we swam back to the boat, climbed on, took off our masks and fins only to be told to get back in, we were up again. I have more chills just writing about it again. And sure enough, the amazing crew lined us up perfectly and the shark popped up right in front of us.












The coolest experience was probably my fourth swim. We got burned on the third when we were in the water and the shark started to dive before we could see it. I was a little worried that the rest of the arvo was going to be like that. So with high hopes I got back in for the fourth trip after a bit of a break when they disappeared. We got the call so we jumped in only to see the back start to descend. Straining my eyes and sensing a bit of disappointment coming on, all of a sudden, the damn thing started to rise again. Right. At. Me. Again, I froze not knowing if I should go right or left. I got out of that way and swam next to it for our time just in complete awe at the grace and size. It was like there was no one else there but me.




That is an adult in the background to give you some size perspective.
We finished our swim and most of the other companies boats had left the area so we pulled up next to the tender boat who was always around us to make sure we always had help if needed. And with the 12 year olds and couple in their late 70s, it was used by some. Not me though, they had to pull me out (or shout at me to back off a bit).




So we were all just doggy paddling waiting for someone to tell us where to go when the spotter on the tender boat starts yelling. Loud. RIGHT. SWIM RIGHT. NOW. RIGHT. FACES DOWN. FACES DOWN!!! Unsure what was going on I followed direction. And what was maybe 15 meters away, underwater heading for the surface? The mother humpback whale and her calf. This was by far one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I was in such shock, I didn't even think to take a picture straight away. But I finally came to and snapped a few.




The mom is in the middle of the picture and you can just make out the white belly and left fin on the right side and the calf's white belly on the left. Purely amazing and such respect for these creatures. What I found out later is that it is illegal to swim with humpback whales, but I'd they swim up on you, you win. The guides with us who have been doing this for a few seasons said it was very rare. They could probably count these encounters on one hand, maybe starting the second. And I got to have one. I almost didn't car that I didn't win the loggers Thursday. Almost.
I got a total of 6 swims with the whale sharks and could have gone all day. Swimming next to one, feeling all alone gliding next to a whale shark in the open, no cage, nothing was an absolutely priceless and humbling experience.




I did get scolded once for not being 4 meters behind the tail (I almost got hit) but you get so involved it was hard not to.




Unfortunately we had to call it a day, but made one more snorkeling stop in the lagoon. Some great coral, fish, turtles and yes, more sharks. I was more scared by the leopard sharks than I was by the whale sharks. Especially when the bottom one swam away, by going directly at me.




(Turtle head)








You can barely see the calf I the upper left. I'll have to go through the pictures on a bigger screen to see if I got a better one.
I can't thank the crew of 3 Islands Whale Shark Diving enough. On all these tours I've taken in my two plus years here, I've been lucky to choose great companies whose employees want to make sure everyone has the best experience possible. And while this was largely up to chance, it was something I won't soon forget.




The Draw Card, our ship for the day.

Location:Exmouth, Western Australia

#VividSydney

With winter moving into full swing, it's the time of year for Vivid Sydney.  Each year at this time, the buildings and most importantly, the Opera House, are transformed with lights.  Each year a different company is selected to bring the buildings to life.  And this year didn't disappoint.  I'm still trying to get that "perfect picture" of the Opera House display, but here are a few that I snapped tonight.

 Chandelier hung over the bay with the Harbour Bridge in the back ground.

 Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art

 Customs House

A few illuminated piranha's perhaps for the upcoming release of Piranha 3DD?