Kerry Tolson's Blog, page 2
January 7, 2017
and to tease some more... Little India, Singapore
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
Tapping away, hope to get some Singapore posts on soon, but while you're waiting, here's another little teaser, this time the Colour splashes of Little India, Singapore.
Tapping away, hope to get some Singapore posts on soon, but while you're waiting, here's another little teaser, this time the Colour splashes of Little India, Singapore.
January 5, 2017
A little teaser... Haji Lane, Singapore
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
Ok, while I fight off my writers doubt and tap dance across the keyboard, and get my posts up to speed on our latest fling to Singapore. . . I can't stop staring at the photos and wistfully wishing I was back there - and I've only been home 24hours . . . I've made a little video of beautiful Haji Lane to tease, not just you, but me. I can never get enough of this edgy, eclectic little hot-spot of the 'Little Red Dot'.
Ok, while I fight off my writers doubt and tap dance across the keyboard, and get my posts up to speed on our latest fling to Singapore. . . I can't stop staring at the photos and wistfully wishing I was back there - and I've only been home 24hours . . . I've made a little video of beautiful Haji Lane to tease, not just you, but me. I can never get enough of this edgy, eclectic little hot-spot of the 'Little Red Dot'.
December 16, 2016
When Christmas gets a little 'tyre'ing take a wander down the back alley
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
This morning I changed my regular morning-walk route which takes me past massive fig trees and under bursting poincianas in my tiny plateau village to an amble through the quiet back lanes of my area's major regional town of Lismore.
It's been a while since I popped into the 'Wok' as downtown Lismore is (un)affectionally named but I wanted to get in some last minute xmas shopping before both the temperature and the pressie buying stress heated up, and as such it had also been quite some time since I last viewed the murals of Lismore's very muched loved (but still a little unknown) "Back Alley Gallery" in Eggins Lane.
It never ceases to amaze me the talent, vibrancy, passion and the very weird thoughts that swirl through the veins of artists and burst out from them to dazzle, delight and perplex our minds as we take in their creations and swim through the emotions they evoke in us.
When I look at some of the murals I have absolutely no idea what the artist is saying or what the piece represents, but I love them all, the colour and vitality that oozes from each piece sends my thoughts into a frenzy, be it confusion or joy.... or both.
image from Northern Star. A year or so ago, one of the biggest and a very well loved murals was vandalised when someone threw white paint over it.
The mural by Brisbane based (and internationally renowned) street artist - Guido van Helten - was painted back in 2012. When this piece was defaced, many in Lismore and the surrounding area were horrified that such a beautiful art work had been wontonly destroyed.
However this year, Guido created another stunning mural to replace it; featuring a young local Lismore girl whose name is Willow. It's a stunning almost ethereal piece and for me reminds me of my own gorgeous granddaughters and the innocence and wonderment I see in their eyes. 
There was a lot of wonderment also in mine (and Mal's) eyes as we went from mural to mural picking out hidden gems, in both the paintings and the surrounding walls / fixtures - delightful little pieces that popped out when least expected.
Like many small regional towns, Lismore is filled to the brim with creative people and it is fabulous that this creativity is embraced and expressed. Lismore has some quirky, at times surreal, artworks dotting its streets and lanes and although sometimes, there is great debate as to if it should even be called art, I'm sure most people love that all these pieces are there to not only be talked about but raises the profile of the city.
image from The Daily Telegraph And that brings me to Lismore's Christmas Tree.
Oh my, what a talking point the Christmas Tree is nearly every year. No trussed up standard run-of-the-mill green-triangle tree for this town. No, the brief for the tree must be innovative, eco-friendly, practice the 3 R's (Recycle, Reuse, Reduce....) and above all gorgeously fugly!
For a long time, Lismore has had the Wonky Tree - a crooked pine that grows in a round-a-bout and gets a couple of 'xmas pressie boxes' and tinsel thrown at it each year. . . and heaven help anyone who picks on it. Like when the newspaper The Daily Telegraph back in 2014 declared it the 'worst xmas tree in the state' and called it the 'Leaning Tree of Lismore' - WHOA! when that article came out it was a resounding 'hands off our bent fir' !
Lismorites (and the populous of the surrounding area) LOVES their wonky, bent, crooked, I'll-grow-however-I-want tree to the max.
And even though Lismore loves its bent tree with its who-gives-a-toss tinsel, they also love coming up with a new "WOW IT OUT" second Christmas Tree each year to pop in the opposite end round-a-bout in the city centre.
Last year it was bicycles trussed together to make a glowing triangle.
image from Rodale's OrganicLife 
This year it's used tyres all painted in glorious neon fluro with plastic bottle star and crushed cans tied up with a big bow pressie skirt.
There's nothing 'tyred' about this tree and it's sure to keep em 'rolling' in for the festive season...
This morning I changed my regular morning-walk route which takes me past massive fig trees and under bursting poincianas in my tiny plateau village to an amble through the quiet back lanes of my area's major regional town of Lismore.It's been a while since I popped into the 'Wok' as downtown Lismore is (un)affectionally named but I wanted to get in some last minute xmas shopping before both the temperature and the pressie buying stress heated up, and as such it had also been quite some time since I last viewed the murals of Lismore's very muched loved (but still a little unknown) "Back Alley Gallery" in Eggins Lane.
It never ceases to amaze me the talent, vibrancy, passion and the very weird thoughts that swirl through the veins of artists and burst out from them to dazzle, delight and perplex our minds as we take in their creations and swim through the emotions they evoke in us. When I look at some of the murals I have absolutely no idea what the artist is saying or what the piece represents, but I love them all, the colour and vitality that oozes from each piece sends my thoughts into a frenzy, be it confusion or joy.... or both.
image from Northern Star. A year or so ago, one of the biggest and a very well loved murals was vandalised when someone threw white paint over it.The mural by Brisbane based (and internationally renowned) street artist - Guido van Helten - was painted back in 2012. When this piece was defaced, many in Lismore and the surrounding area were horrified that such a beautiful art work had been wontonly destroyed.
However this year, Guido created another stunning mural to replace it; featuring a young local Lismore girl whose name is Willow. It's a stunning almost ethereal piece and for me reminds me of my own gorgeous granddaughters and the innocence and wonderment I see in their eyes. There was a lot of wonderment also in mine (and Mal's) eyes as we went from mural to mural picking out hidden gems, in both the paintings and the surrounding walls / fixtures - delightful little pieces that popped out when least expected.
Like many small regional towns, Lismore is filled to the brim with creative people and it is fabulous that this creativity is embraced and expressed. Lismore has some quirky, at times surreal, artworks dotting its streets and lanes and although sometimes, there is great debate as to if it should even be called art, I'm sure most people love that all these pieces are there to not only be talked about but raises the profile of the city.
image from The Daily Telegraph And that brings me to Lismore's Christmas Tree. Oh my, what a talking point the Christmas Tree is nearly every year. No trussed up standard run-of-the-mill green-triangle tree for this town. No, the brief for the tree must be innovative, eco-friendly, practice the 3 R's (Recycle, Reuse, Reduce....) and above all gorgeously fugly!
For a long time, Lismore has had the Wonky Tree - a crooked pine that grows in a round-a-bout and gets a couple of 'xmas pressie boxes' and tinsel thrown at it each year. . . and heaven help anyone who picks on it. Like when the newspaper The Daily Telegraph back in 2014 declared it the 'worst xmas tree in the state' and called it the 'Leaning Tree of Lismore' - WHOA! when that article came out it was a resounding 'hands off our bent fir' !
Lismorites (and the populous of the surrounding area) LOVES their wonky, bent, crooked, I'll-grow-however-I-want tree to the max.
And even though Lismore loves its bent tree with its who-gives-a-toss tinsel, they also love coming up with a new "WOW IT OUT" second Christmas Tree each year to pop in the opposite end round-a-bout in the city centre.
Last year it was bicycles trussed together to make a glowing triangle.
image from Rodale's OrganicLife This year it's used tyres all painted in glorious neon fluro with plastic bottle star and crushed cans tied up with a big bow pressie skirt. There's nothing 'tyred' about this tree and it's sure to keep em 'rolling' in for the festive season...
December 9, 2016
Winners Announced
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
Winners of the "Facebook- Like, Share and Follow" draw for 3 Double Packs of Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu were drawn today - Saturday 10th December.
The winners are -
Lisa Shield
Debby Smith
Kelina Seaton
YAY!!! Congratulations to them all.
Each have won a double pack of the book
Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu
a Donna Sharam Card - Tusita Heaven
BBB Postcards and Bookmarks and Bag.
Thank you to everyone who entered and liked, shared and followed my facebook page.
Winners of the "Facebook- Like, Share and Follow" draw for 3 Double Packs of Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu were drawn today - Saturday 10th December.
The winners are -
Lisa Shield
Debby Smith
Kelina Seaton
YAY!!! Congratulations to them all.
Each have won a double pack of the book
Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu
a Donna Sharam Card - Tusita Heaven
BBB Postcards and Bookmarks and Bag.
Thank you to everyone who entered and liked, shared and followed my facebook page.
December 4, 2016
Give Away...Give Away...Give Away
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
November 29, 2016
Thanking the turkey.
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
image:http://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com... I need to say thank you to a turkey for reminding me of something very important - celebrating my book's birthday; it was 1 year old this month.
What has a turkey got to do with my book you may ask? afterall, I'm not American, nor do I follow the Thanksgiving tradition and my book is about stumbling around Nepal, not running away from someone wielding an axe or tips on the best turkey basting recipes.
It was while I was watching with horrified bemusement the tradition of the American President to grant a pardon to a turkey as part of the Thanksgiving Day celebrations (apparently 46 million gobblers will be gobbled down on this day – and only 1 gets a reprieve!), that it dawned on me that November was also a special month for me to say Thank You.
Lots of Thank Yous.
I'm a big believer in saying thanks, And I just love sending out thank you notes, even it it's
from: http://www.guy-sports.com for something that might seem small and insignificant, like being loaned a book or for a great cup of coffee, to me such activities remind me to be grateful not just for the generosity of others, but also appreciating the work done by others; even if they are being paid to do it. (there are some jobs I never want to do, and I’m always grateful for good coffee - especially as I'm a hopeless at it. )
Read more
image:http://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com... I need to say thank you to a turkey for reminding me of something very important - celebrating my book's birthday; it was 1 year old this month.What has a turkey got to do with my book you may ask? afterall, I'm not American, nor do I follow the Thanksgiving tradition and my book is about stumbling around Nepal, not running away from someone wielding an axe or tips on the best turkey basting recipes.
It was while I was watching with horrified bemusement the tradition of the American President to grant a pardon to a turkey as part of the Thanksgiving Day celebrations (apparently 46 million gobblers will be gobbled down on this day – and only 1 gets a reprieve!), that it dawned on me that November was also a special month for me to say Thank You.
Lots of Thank Yous.
I'm a big believer in saying thanks, And I just love sending out thank you notes, even it it's
from: http://www.guy-sports.com for something that might seem small and insignificant, like being loaned a book or for a great cup of coffee, to me such activities remind me to be grateful not just for the generosity of others, but also appreciating the work done by others; even if they are being paid to do it. (there are some jobs I never want to do, and I’m always grateful for good coffee - especially as I'm a hopeless at it. ) Read more
November 27, 2016
Peering into an intimate interior.
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
"I've never liked housework. I get by doing little chores when I feel like them, in between paintings. Who wants to chase dust all their life? You can spend your whole lifetime cleaning the house. I like watching the patina grow. If the house looks dirty, buy another bunch of flowers, is my advice."
Margaret Olley. "Far From a Still Life" by Meg Stewart.
Surrounded by verdant green valleys, rolling hills and watched over by the magnificent volcano plug of Wollumbin (Mt Warning - of which I am still to climb, even though I've lived in the area for 26years), the Tweed Regional Gallery is home to the Margaret Olley Art Centre.
What sage words from the wonderful Margaret Olley, words I happily took to heart a few weeks back and throwing my hands up at the house chores, took to the road and found myself at the fabulous Tweed Regional Gallery, located near the sweet little village of Murwillumbah.
Read more
"I've never liked housework. I get by doing little chores when I feel like them, in between paintings. Who wants to chase dust all their life? You can spend your whole lifetime cleaning the house. I like watching the patina grow. If the house looks dirty, buy another bunch of flowers, is my advice."
Margaret Olley. "Far From a Still Life" by Meg Stewart.
Surrounded by verdant green valleys, rolling hills and watched over by the magnificent volcano plug of Wollumbin (Mt Warning - of which I am still to climb, even though I've lived in the area for 26years), the Tweed Regional Gallery is home to the Margaret Olley Art Centre.What sage words from the wonderful Margaret Olley, words I happily took to heart a few weeks back and throwing my hands up at the house chores, took to the road and found myself at the fabulous Tweed Regional Gallery, located near the sweet little village of Murwillumbah.
Read moreNovember 23, 2016
Book Review: Love at First Flight. Author: Tess Woods.
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
Imagine finding your soul mate and
it's the one who could destroy your world.
To the world, Mel has the perfect life. A husband who adores her, two beautiful children, a stunning house, a job she loves, not a worry in the world and yet, her inner world is empty.
On her annual 'girls-weekend' away, Mel lovingly kisses her husband goodbye and steps onto a plane where she meets Matt and finds a love so intense and consuming, it threatens to destroy her whole world.
Read more
Imagine finding your soul mate andit's the one who could destroy your world.
To the world, Mel has the perfect life. A husband who adores her, two beautiful children, a stunning house, a job she loves, not a worry in the world and yet, her inner world is empty.
On her annual 'girls-weekend' away, Mel lovingly kisses her husband goodbye and steps onto a plane where she meets Matt and finds a love so intense and consuming, it threatens to destroy her whole world.
Read more
November 15, 2016
The Friendly Phalli that protect Bhutan - my article in "Inside Himalayas"
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
Very excited today to see an article I wrote is now in the wonderful (and very beautiful) on-line travel magazine "Inside Himalayas".
Please, enjoy the read.
The Friendly Phalli that protect Bhutan
Shafts of soft light filter into the dusky inner sanctum, illuminating unfurling incense tendrils, their haze slightly obscuring the fading dharmachakra images and murals imprinted across the temple’s ancient walls. Dropping ngultrum notes into the bowl, I bow my head with hands in contemplation pose, waiting for the wang (blessing) to be bestowed upon me; one that I’m fervently praying will never come true at my age. The monk raises his hand and lightly ‘bops’ me on the head. I have been fertility-blessed by a boned phallus.
Read more
Very excited today to see an article I wrote is now in the wonderful (and very beautiful) on-line travel magazine "Inside Himalayas".
Please, enjoy the read.
The Friendly Phalli that protect BhutanShafts of soft light filter into the dusky inner sanctum, illuminating unfurling incense tendrils, their haze slightly obscuring the fading dharmachakra images and murals imprinted across the temple’s ancient walls. Dropping ngultrum notes into the bowl, I bow my head with hands in contemplation pose, waiting for the wang (blessing) to be bestowed upon me; one that I’m fervently praying will never come true at my age. The monk raises his hand and lightly ‘bops’ me on the head. I have been fertility-blessed by a boned phallus.
Read more
November 8, 2016
A little chat with artist, Donna Sharam.
by Kerry Tolson @kerrytolson.com
The inspiration behind the cover of
Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu
Last week, I had the absolute pleasure to sit down and chat with Australian Artist - Donna Sharam at her studio in the historical NSW North Coast village of Clunes, about the inspiration behind the stunning image she painted for the cover of my book - Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu.
Sitting on her verandah, overlooking lush valleys and surrounded by vibrant artworks -and the occasional cluck of chickens- Donna shared with me how her passion for trees and colour imbued perfectly with the essence of the Bodhi tree and Nepal's rich vitality for life. Her interpretation of my memories of Nepal, and how she expresses them so vividly in the form of this most sacred of trees, the Bodhi, was indeed a humbling experience for me.
I have always loved her vibrant artworks - images that have always filled my soul with immense joy when I see them - and I could not believe how lucky I was, and privileged, to have my publisher, Brolga Publishing Australia approach Donna Sharam to create the image - Tusita Heaven.
As I wrote in my acknowledgements : I am overwhelmed beyond breath by the beautiful Bodhi tree image . . . representative of awakening, strength and family roots, its swirl of vitality, colour and joy carries me back to the essence of Nepal.
Thank you Donna.
Love Donna's work and want to see more - check out Donna Sharam's website at
www.donnasharam.com
The inspiration behind the cover ofBuddhas, Bombs and the Babu
Last week, I had the absolute pleasure to sit down and chat with Australian Artist - Donna Sharam at her studio in the historical NSW North Coast village of Clunes, about the inspiration behind the stunning image she painted for the cover of my book - Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu.
Sitting on her verandah, overlooking lush valleys and surrounded by vibrant artworks -and the occasional cluck of chickens- Donna shared with me how her passion for trees and colour imbued perfectly with the essence of the Bodhi tree and Nepal's rich vitality for life. Her interpretation of my memories of Nepal, and how she expresses them so vividly in the form of this most sacred of trees, the Bodhi, was indeed a humbling experience for me.
I have always loved her vibrant artworks - images that have always filled my soul with immense joy when I see them - and I could not believe how lucky I was, and privileged, to have my publisher, Brolga Publishing Australia approach Donna Sharam to create the image - Tusita Heaven.
As I wrote in my acknowledgements : I am overwhelmed beyond breath by the beautiful Bodhi tree image . . . representative of awakening, strength and family roots, its swirl of vitality, colour and joy carries me back to the essence of Nepal.
Thank you Donna.
Love Donna's work and want to see more - check out Donna Sharam's website at
www.donnasharam.com
