I hope you sat glued to your televisions on Saturday at 4.30pm on Channel 7, to watch the Coast to Coast for Kids – Land & Sea Challenge.  Just don’t blink or you will miss the star in my life my hubby!  Lol

You see hubby was part of the support crew that went over to Kangaroo Island to film this adventure over a 5 day period recently when he took time of from being Art Manager to helping out where he could and being chief chef and bottle washer.

The aim of the television production is to raise money for charities and this time it was for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation.  The challenges had been dreamed up by their event manager Christina Angus who also participated in the event. Eleven participants all from South Australia were the “Challengers” who each raised over $10.000 dollars.   The man in charge is Troy Gray with his Vox ventures production company and Troy’s past 10 TV documentaries have screened internationally, won medals in the Annual South Australian Cinematography Awards as well as raised over $1 Million dollars for South Australian based charities.

PAINTING AND FOOTBALL

This football painting shows some of Troys other talents as he started out as a footy star who was drafted to the Sydney Swans in 1991 before being traded to St Kilda, then starting on his media and production career.  This is also pretty much how I found the Challengers when I joined in the festivities for the weekend on the Kangaroo Island shoot.  The boys were all kicking the footy around and as they are all pretty easy on the eye I certainly thought I had come to the right place!  As I am a firm believer in “Just because I’m on a diet, doesn’t mean I can’t look at the menu” Let’s just say I enjoyed the view!   Oh and the menfolk watching on Saturday TV Show won’t be disappointed either as the girls are pretty good sorts too.  Although I did not see any streakers as my artwork suggest but there was a nice incident with a pole dance or was it a shimmy up the pole to retrieve a ball – oh I forget!

THE ART OF THE CHALLENGE

The whole gang; David, Ali, Chad, Sam, Scott, Rebecca, Laura, Michaela, Saxon, Christina, Cara are thrown in the deep end for an unknown adventure through some of Kangaroo Island’s wonderful countryside.  Each participant went through their own personal challenges physically, mentally and emotionally as they faced five days of life-changing experiences.  It really was a tough gig as they all slept rough – sleeping bags or swags with sometimes just the one toilet to share between 20 odd people.  The fact that they were constantly filmed and expected to be ready with only minutes to spare added to the tension.  The days started at 5.30 am for breakfast round the campsite and often didn’t finish until way after midnight.

ARTFUL ACTIVITIES

I was very happy to come for a little visit and be able to retreat to my comfy hotel room at the end of the night, I am more a “5 star kinda gal” however if I had the access to a Hollywood camper I would be up for the challenges as they looked like so much fun.  Full on activities from sunup till dawn such as; sailing, swimming with dolphins, hiking, bicycle riding, fishing, four wheel buggy driving, jet-skiing, melon catapulting, wine tasting, Harley Davidson rides just to mention a few.

THE ART OF KARAOKE

I do think I came over at the right time as it was Karaoke & Party night, unfortunately this event did not make it into the show but let me assure you it should have!  There were certainly some funny moments and unexpected talents, much hutzpa and bravado and just so much fun even from the local KI community who joined in as well.

THE ART OF THE VOLUNTEER

Over $110,000 was raised for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital which would not have been possible without the volunteers; Tim, the 2 Ben’s, Narelle, Bryan, as well as the hard work by Michelle and Martha and the girls in office of WCHF.  Of course we mustn’t forget Lisa & Butch and camera crew from 2OC Production (just try to figure out what those initials stand for and it will make you giggle!) who also worked incredibly hard and then had another episode to film in the outback when this one was in the bag.

Here is a quote I think fits well by Vance Havner;

“The vision must be followed by the venture.  It is not enough to stare up the steps – we must step up the stairs.

Till next time happy painting, sculpting and adventuring!

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

Well what is all that about I hear you say, and yes for the uninitiated it does sound quite weird and have gotten many people in trouble and I have to point out, even me now as recently as Saturday night, lol. You know how you wake up the following morning and think oh boy I shouldn’t have said that!  This acrylic on board painting is of a similar night that I am going to tell you about, and now I will just have to get started on another artwork and capture this recent event!

You see we were at a very swanky “do” indeed for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation raising money for a very good cause.  Adelaide’s Glitterati were there in all their finery, Simon Bryant the renowned chef provided the meals Brenton Ragless was the MC and the girls in charge; Marta Harbuzinska and Christina Angus could not have done a better job.  It was indeed a successful night raising some $130.000 for the babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

THE ART OF EAGLE ROCK

So what about the Pants Down reference about the Eagle Rock song and Ross Wilson who sings it, well here is the history about that from Hobsons bay weekly;

Since the 1980s, it’s been a regular sight at gigs for patrons to unbuckle belts and hobble around with their pants around their ankles when the song is played.

“I didn’t invent it, Australians invented it as a response to Eagle Rock,” says Wilson, who turns 65 next month.

“But in certain parts of the country, whenever Eagle Rock’s played —in bars, or uni, and it’s big in the military — they’ve got their pants around their ankles and sort of do this dance.

Wilson, whose last visit to Williamstown was about five years ago, has warned the custom may reveal itself at the RSL.

“The word’s getting out there; it’s happening a little bit more at my shows and also women are starting to do it,” he said.

“Up in Queensland, the University of Queensland, they lay claim, whether it’s true or not — I don’t think it is true but they claim that they invented it.

“So, you’ve got this thing in the student bar that one of the rules in the bar is that patrons are not to be ejected if they drop their pants to this song, Eagle Rock, but they must replace them at the finish of the song.”

Well now you know the tradition of this song and it has as I said gotten quite a few people in trouble over the years and some have even gotten arrested over it.

At our daughters 21^st birthday party for instance the song came on and all the boys got into a big circle and dropped their pants (undies are left on of course LOL) and shuffled to the music.  At the time we had a lovely couple from England staying with us and although he was not familiar with the custom he got into the spirit of it and followed suit, much to the ire of his girlfriend who was not amused.  She had never heard of this tradition and thought it very uncouth to have her fiancé dancing without pants all of a sudden.

THE ART OF NOT KEEPING YOUR MOUTH SHUT

Which brings me to Saturday night at this fine event; we were all up dancing with a bunch of fairly new friends all having fun when local band Acoustic Juice plays Daddy Cool’s Eagle Rock.  I get into the spirit of things and tongue in cheek I say (obviously as this is not the venue for it) to a couple of the guys; Pants down!  Lol, well you should have seen the looks on their faces – they clearly had not heard of this custom and to make things worse I know some of them had read my recent blog on“Fifty shades of grey”and now thought this woman is clearly sex mad and crazy as a cut snake!

So here is a quote by Don Herold, which we should all keep in mind when it comes to things we should and shouldn’t have done and worry about;

“If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I’d have fewer imaginary ones”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and dancing to you all!

Love Marie xxxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.