Bum! Bum! Bum! Bum!

If you think books called “The day my bum went psycho”, “Bumageddon : the final pongflict”, and “What bumosaur is that” are not for you then definitely DON’T come to our Andy Griffiths author event on Wednesday.

Andy Griffiths is the most popular Australian children’s author  going at the moment and we are very pleased (and a little grossed out) to have him speaking as part of our 150th celebrations.

The second best part of our event is that is is FREE! Call the Library on 941-7923 to get some tickets sent out to you and come along to the Town Hall on Wednesday 12 August from 6:30 – 7:30, bringing along any children who like all things annoying, stupid, gross or disgusting, and any adults who would like to hear a hilarious speaker and possibly a story of a baby-to-dinosaur-head-transplant.

The art of Shag

The works in Shag: The art of Josh Agle have a well-defined aesthetic.  It’s wood panelled interiors and martini glasses. It’s the tiki lounge.  It’s poodles.  It’s mods on scooters. The worlds that Agle creates are at once retro-kitschy whilst entirely modern and 21st century.  And he is full of mischief and surprises.  Just when you think you’re in for another party scene interior peopled with heavily eyelinered women and jauntily quiffed men…in comes a pink elephant with a bottle of Seagram’s and a cocktail shaker…wearing a fez.

It’s the presence of mythical creatures, man sized grasshoppers, yetis and even the rubella virus that keeps the lounge singers, beatniks, and spies in check. A cosmic balance of sorts.

Agle had every intention of being an illustrator, and you can see how “advertising friendly” his work is, but then his original works started to be snapped up by galleries and collectors.  Known as Shag (from joSH AGle) he’s now an industry, with fans able to purchase everything from prints to lunchboxes, calendars to zippos and everything in between.

Agle’s subject matter is very much of the same era as the television series Mad men and one can imagine those angst-laden advertising execs rubbing shoulders with Agle’s boldly coloured bouffant beauties. A new internet toy that lets you Mad Men Yourself has a little bit of the look of Agle’s look but sadly, no pink elephants bearing liquor. Enjoy!