I feel dismayed. I have always steered clear of politics, because it bores me. As I am maturing, I feel the need to know what is happening for the sake of our future. As you might know, I grew up in Africa. Boy, what amazing stories we have to tell about the most outragious things that our politicians do and get away with. Lately, Australian politics has become equally outragious. Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott arguing like two siblings over a toy. We all know it. We are all ashamed and fed up with it, yet, it continues daily. I heard an interesting debate yesterday about Capitalism. The one guy, spoke about our 4 year cycle Western political system;
1. An election is won by a certain party based on promises made.
2. The following year policies are changed to suit them and gain more profit for themselves, not necessarily having to reflect the promises made.
3. Excuses are being made why the policies didn't work, promises broken and subsequently criticising others.
4. Campaigning for the election in the fourth year.
Of course this repeats over and over again. Is it just me that feels that governments forgot that they are serving the public, not extorting them? This is not only in Australia, but America and most of Africa too. This goes for local councils as well, whom in Newcastle think that they are in charge and we need not know what they are doing, sucking the people dry. The system is only working for those in power, and screwing the rest of us, knowingly. Yet, it does not change. Why would it if the people whom it's benefiting is in power, making the decisions? In all logic, it won't unless we can actually get someone in power that is ethical. He/ she would be hated by other politicians in the first place for pointing out that they are at fault, and thus never be elected in the first place. Even if elected, he/she might get the Kevin Rudd treatment as served by out current prime minister. So, fat chance...

We all have to be so diplomatic in life now. Lawyers has gotten the system to a point where you can't even distinguish between races or sexes without the risk of being called a racist. These rules does not apply in the parliment of course, where insults, slander and disrespect is at the order of the day. Our Government sets this example, and yet is hoping for us to behave and repect others? Today most of the important politicians of Australia are in Bali for the Bali bombing rememerance service. Why? That is where they will telly the most publicity and votes. Do you think they actually care about it? Australia is labeled as a christian country. Yet we are not willing to pray at any public meetings (unless in church itself) in fear of offending others. How strange is that. If you believe in God, and pray to Jesus, believing them to be true, then how does that justify abandoning them when it suits us? Or do we only believe in parts of God, when it's convenient? If God felt that way about us, He would not have had Jesus on the cross I can assure you.

This is where i want to draw the similarities between America and Australia. We are very similar in many ways. Personalities of the people are very differnet with Ozies being much more reserved. Yet our political and spiritual status is very similar. 

How are we ever going to get out of this cycle that does't seem to make anything any better? I heard a friend of mine form Taiwan said how proud she is of her country. I honestly find it very hard to say that. In Africa, Malaysia and now Australia, politicians has made me ashamed of what they do. They are in charge of a country, with a big responsibility, and yet seems to be more concerned about themselves. What is there to be proud of in that? I pray that this will change, soon as we are all losing hope, slowly...

I wish I never knew anything about politics!

Cecilia Giménez is the 80year old lady who defaced the artwork  'Ecce Homo' (Behold the Man) by Elias Garcia Martinez. It has held pride of place in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza for more than 100 years, but residents of the small Spanish town are said to be very sad about the incident.

The responses about this has been so very mixed. Those who don't care about Jesus, finds it so amusing and obviously mock the religious aspect. I read an Ozzie male punk said that it looks heaps better... Art lovers are of course enraged. Others said that the lady did a good deed. I'm not sure just how good her intentions were, but perhaps she wasn't of a clear mind to do such a dumb thing. She even made areas that was lighter darker, and simply smeared his mouth. All that said, I believe that it was a valuable religious artefact, and it has now been destroyed forever. The hype about it is merely the fact that the event has been outrageous and tragic. Any bad news sells.

The latest news is that Cecilia is demanding royalties for the thousands of people now flocking to see this childish artwork. So much for the good deed the lady was trying to do. 

Point is, how crazy is this world. I have much to say about how absurd most of the politics and individual behaviour has become. Governments doing people in and knowingly destroying our living environments for temporary benefits. I'm talking about Coal seam gas mining happening in Australia whilst we are being charged the highest carbon tax in the world, and exporting our coal to the biggest polluter in the world.

I don't mean to complain, but please live with love for others. It seems like everyone is so suspicious of others and people have so many agendas. Life would be great if we could just chill, do good and love eachother. That goes for politicians as well.

How strange is it that the trafic authority have to warn us that they are allowed to put up a speed camera. Does this mean that we don't know that there are laws regulating society? Do they need our permission to enforce this law? I honestly don't get it. As far as I understand, this is because of greedy lawyers who look for loopholes in the system and then exploits it for their benefit, making money out of our misery. There I am complaining again. I'm just not feeling the love! 

I find myself sitting comfortably inside our lounge room, watching National Geographic programmes, reading, and listening to talks on both the radio and internet. This is of course done in isolation, with my butt firmly on the couch. Is this life? Some might think so, having a superb surround sound system, ipad, internet, big tv, macbook, iphone and any gadgets that I could possibly want. 
The programmes are certainly amazing, but this is all fake life experiences. It's a second hand experience that is indeed out there to be experienced. At least it's not as pathetic as some watching soap opera (days of our lives, bold and beautiful) due to the lack of having their own lives. I know that sounds a bit cruel, but if people were to get out, and focus on actually doing something with their lives, there wont be any need for these type of time-wasting programmes. 

Now, I admit that I don't see myself going to Antarctica to witness the seals giving birth any time soon, so I recon at times it is surely justified. These programmes are absolutely amazing. Yet, the sun is shining beautifully outside, birds are sining, flowers are blooming. Usually I would be outside most of the time indeed. I have flu, and I'm quite enjoying the time to be inspired. It has been a very productive time in terms of Art. 

On the topic of fake lives; I have been becoming more disillusioned with Facebook. It seems to be the ultimate of fakeness. What a life? How often nowadays do you see people together at a dinner table staring at their phones reading what is happening to their 'friends'? At the cost of actually having a life, it seems. Put down the phone and have a life. 

God calles me to slow down at times as I can certainly be a bit of a workaholic. Glory be to God! 

It's time for new life, new beginnings and hope. Mostly, for me it's Landscaping season and I'm having a bit less time for art than in the Winter.

I have something bothering me. The fact that the world is turning more anti-governmental. Now I know that there has been problems for long periods of times, and mind you, I'm no Historian either.  But it seems obvious that Politicians arent making choices based on the good of the people. They aren't stewards of a Nation or town anymore. Politicians or Councilors are making decisions based 98% based on votes, and votes alone. if they happen to be helping to get a road built, and it happens to help someone, then they should be voting for them, and that is the basis of decision making in our modern politics. I think that there was a time when working as a public servant was done with pride, and it was a respectable job. But if at this point in time in Newcastle, Australia, you tell someone that you work for council, you will be almost hated. Everyone feels that our money is being wasted. Everyone knows that is't an absolutely cushy job for lazy people and that your career will stagnate from there onwards. It's common knowledge that it's the most unproductive sector of our society at present. Yet, with the biggest responsibility. The government and councils are running a country, organising life almost, yet with such apathy.

I believe that Australians are born with a feeling of anti-establishment because of the convict heritage. You can hear most Australians calling the police 'Pigs' openly and for no apparent reason. That made me wonder until someone explained it to me.

Governments and councils are run as businesses. Perhaps not always very well, but they are. The government obviously knows how much money we have, where is our limits and how far can they push us. This is all due to our technological world where statistics and facts will be avaliable to governments at the tip of their fingers. Banks are pushing us as well, grabing as much profit as they can. New on the scene is Electricity companies. Next is supermarkets, Coles and Woolies having an absolute monopoly in deciding how much profit they want to make.

 I fear that this is just the beginning. Nobody seems to be on our side, other than for the odd journalist who dares to speak up. the media is now just a puppet used by corporations to spread their propaganda. So who can you trust? We can't even trust ourselves now can we. We can trust God. God never changed, and His word is true. Why build up treasures here on earth where the moths and rats can eat it? Build up treasures in heaven. I wasn't planing on writing about God, but ultimately, everything else seems rather bleak really. I do believe that if our leaders feared God, that things would have been different. Australia is sadly not a christian country and I pray that God will change the hearts of leaders, not only in Australia, but all over the world, to not be selfish and power hungry. I pray that in South Africa the groups instigating violence will realise that there is a better way. I pray that America will stop to bully everyone else as they have been doing for more than 30 years now, and that Australia will stop to help them in doing so. I pray that you have a good day and that we can look beyond all these problems and see the sun rise every day, and hear the birds sing, and know that we can make a difference. 

July is being an amazing month. We are having the 5 Lands walk event on at Terrigal and I'm doing a Plein Air Artwork tmrw with 21 other stablished artists from the region. It will be my first Plein Air artwork. I often work outside but I don't paint or draw what I see. I find it hard to be unconstrained in what I see. 

I have been thinking about my cultural background, being South African with our Apartheid past.  So also Australians have a very similar past with the Aboriginal people. But somehow they stil need recognition. Just as our cultures have made mistakes in the past, I hope we have learnt from it. Racism is just not necisary as we all live on one planet, breath the same air and dream of a better future. Who was here first? Well we all know that the Aboriginal people have been here for very long, but then why would people discriminate people who's parents werent born here, when their own grandparents werent born here? Is it first come owns the right to discriminate? I dont think that should be the way. I have been inducted into the Darkinjang tribe of Aboriginals last Saturday together with a group of about 20 people. This was as a result of a period of personal discovery in relation to the Aboriginal culture. We found that we have much in common with a love and respect for nature. It's a real honour and I will forever be proud to be part of a people in Australia that embrace nature and live with it, not against it. 

There is a few exhibitions on this month if you are interested. We are building my studio downstairs so I don't have much time to produce new works, but I have done some A4 drawings, about 15. If you are in Sydney, please do pop in at Kaleidoscope gallery in Danks street. Next will be 'At the vanishing point' in Newtown on the 28th, thursday. I will have 20 artworks up there and it's gona be sick! hows that for Ozie lingo, mate! thanks for reading. God bless you, and God bless me and the whole of this gorgeous country and all of it's wonderful people. 

This morning I read an article on Facebook about the possibility of Japan having to be evacuated, 40 million people because of nuclear radiation. Tokyo alone, 10 million people having to leave their homes and perhaps not return! This is such a devastating occurrence, but it hasn't taken place yet. I was praying for them just 10 minutes ago, that God would give them comfort and hope in this dire situation. Then I remembered how the media has been lying and providing misinformation on a very regular basis. We even had the local newspaper printing lies on behalf of a council 3 months ago, and I'm sure it happens more than what we would know. We accept that marketing is filled with lies. Look at the picture of a sandwich in a Subway store. Filled to the brim, wholesome and delicious. When you get your's after pointing at that exact picture when ordering, it would be having less than half the toppings at best, guaranteed. We accept this somehow. Marketing is filled with lies, deliberately. From Petrol stations to politicians promoting coal seam gas mining. It does make me very sad, because the reality is that the people in Japan could be in a real bad situation, but I don't think that I will believe the media today. Why would I believe them now, knowing that they could make a headline story of a dog eating a bone if they wanted to? The trusting public would all be in awe of the feroudog and pity the poor bone. I sincerely hope that Japan's people are safe, and even more so that people will have integrity and realise that their actions reaches far into the future and lives of everyone. I am praying for that indeed.