Category Archives: Fine Arts

Religious expression is a part of daily life in Nepal, and even the buildings are a declaration of faith and a demonstration of artistry. Patan (or Lalitpur (ललितपुर), or Manigal) is the oldest of the three cities in the Kathmandu Valley. It is known for its rich cultural heritage, cottage industries, and skilled craftsmanship – […]

View full post »

It’s a funny day today: the blustery winds keep changing directions as I watch the swans and pelicans on the estuary across the road from where I live. I guess the unsettled weather is fitting for this, the last day of the cycle in the ancient Mayan calendar. For a price, you can escape or […]

View full post »

“I want people to be overwhelmed with light and color in a way they have never experienced.” ~ Dale Chihuly I was first “introduced” to Dale Chihuly’s glass installation-artworks in Canberra in 1999. It was while I was wandering around Floriade, Canberra’s festival of spring flowers which is held annually in the park along Lake Burley Griffin, that […]

View full post »

Olympic fever has gripped the television-watching-world. As I write this, the games are well into their second week and the people of the United Kingdom seem to have thrown themselves behind their Olympic athletes. Two weeks before the games started, however, the people I talked to in London were grumbling about the inconveniences the games were causing […]

View full post »

Sukhothai, the UNESCO listed collection of Thai ruins that was, in the 13th and 14th centuries, the capital of the Sukhothai kingdom, is a remarkable place. Inside the ancient walls are the remains of the old royal palace and twenty-six temples. What is even more remarkable, however, is the beauty to be found outside the walls. Beyond the northern walls […]

View full post »