So I had the phone call this week that we all dread, a family member involved in a car accident.  But before I tell you about that let me set up the “back story”.

My brother Matt Jonsson a very talented artist in his own right and a former band member of the iconic Australian band Clowns of Decadence had just started work.  At the moment he is the head artist in charge of the sets for Cat Stevens upcoming musical “Moonshadow” which will soon be coming to the Princess Theatre in Melbourne, Australia.  The sets are designed by Cat or Yusuf as he is known by these days as he was a designer before his singer/songwriter career took off in the early seventies.

On the day in question my father was in his van en route to deliver some fruit in to my brother when suddenly the accident happened.   My father rear ended the car that suddenly came in front of him and the van proceeded out of control to the other side of the road.  His van was a right off and my darling dad was pinned by his leg in the wreck.

When my brother arrived at the accident scene he was confronted by 16 police, firemen and ambulance staff, police cars, one fire truck and two ambulances.  In the middle of all the commotion was my darling dad stuck and the firemen were cutting the van into two to try to remove him.

However the first things my father said to my brother was to get his fruit in the back of the van and that he is ok, his leg was numb by this stage and that my brother could go home because it would take a while to cut him out – as if!  I ask you who cares about fruit at a time like this!

So the phone call was from my brother who very gently said “Don’t worry sis, Dad is ok, but he has just been in a car crash and is pinned by the leg and the firemen are cutting him out as we speak”.  It goes without saying that I nearly collapsed right there and then.

THE ART OF KEEPING IT TOGETHER

My brother handled the situation admirably, made the appropriate calls, organized the tow truck and everything else and then went on to the hospital.

However as the story unfolded my brother said; “It appeared dad was ok from the start, if dad was bleeding or you had no idea if there was any internal damage or not then you would panic more thinking every second is vital in him getting to hospital, but when dad is more concerned about getting me to take my fruit out of the van that he was going to deliver then you have to ask yourself is he in shock or is he still your normal crazy caring loving dad. “

Now that typifies my dad, never concerned for himself but always caring how his kids and grandkids are, just one of the lovelies men you could ever meet.  My dad was home from hospital after a few hours with just a bandaid on his leg and a few bruises, lucky him and lucky us.

THE ARTIST CAT STEVENS

Matt made it back to work on the Cat Stevens “Moonshadow” set and that connection makes the full circle for me as many “moons” ago when I was modelling in Europe I had dinner with the manager of Cat Stevens in Chelsea, London.  We were having a Whisky Sour and he was bemoaning the fact that his very successful and famous client had decided to give it all away – change his name to Yusuf Islam and become a Muslim and drop out of the fame game.  At the time I nearly cried too, who can forget Tea for the Tillerman and the very poignant song “Cats in the Cradle” which has shaped my own way of raising my kids.

So I leave you then with those wonderful lyrics written by Harry Chapin (the song was based upon a poem written by Harry’s wife Sandy) which my parents kept in mind when they raised me and I in turn did the same with my kids.  So thank you Cat, Harry & Sandy, you shaped several generations!

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin’ ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew
He’d say “I’m gonna be like you dad
You know I’m gonna be like you”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home dad?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, “Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let’s play
Can you teach me to throw”, I said “Not today
I got a lot to do”, he said, “That’s ok”
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, “I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m gonna be like him”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
“Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?”
He shook his head and said with a smile
“What I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind”
He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job’s a hassle and kids have the flu
But it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad
It’s been sure nice talking to you”

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

Till Next time happy painting and sculpting and maybe singing,

Love Marie xxxx

If you enjoyed this art blog you may enjoy this on also with music connection; 111. Indie music, Art and Paintings with James Abberley I’ll be a Bird

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.

We had a most interesting weekend recently.  I had been asked to open an exhibition for my dear friend Ted James who was celebrating 50 years of being behind the lens of his trusted camera.  It was held at the Rustons Rose Garden and Convention Centre in Renmark, South Australia.

This Artwork Sold in America

ART IN PICTURES

I first met Ted as a 17 year old just after I had starting modelling and over the years he put me on the cover of a few magazines.  In the hectic days of fashion and glamour, Teds shoots were always very different.  They would take a whole day and involve some great locations, either down by a beach or in the middle of a wheat field just before harvest.  Ted would always pack a picnic with dried fruits and nuts, cheese and crackers and fruit juices and everything would happen at a leisurely pace resulting in some great photographs.  He also worked for the Australasian Post and Pix Magazine, Scope Magazine in South Africa as well as Pietro Press in Italy.   Ted maintains that his favourite work was photographing beautiful girls, and who can blame him, great work if you can get it eh, Ted?

EXHIBITION IN NEW YORK

By no means was Teds photography limited by beautiful girls however much of a dream job that may seem to some of you!  No, he also had many a distinguished clients, as he plied his trade from landscapes to river scenes, horses and cars, working for British Leyland, Volvo, Bank of Adelaide, and Faulding’s, just to name a few.  Of course he also did a lot of fashion work for most of the designers of the time, including Lidwien and those photographs were exhibited at the Rockefeller Centre in New York.

GOLD PAINT

A couple of the artistic engagements that stood out for Ted  was the “Golden Couple” from Holland,  who as Ted put it were “starkers” apart from the gold paint that covered them from head to toe, whom he photographed at Noarlunga Beach.  But it was as they were driving home that they really scared some other motorists, sitting there looking like “gold statues” in the car and then they suddenly moved and looked at the car next to them.  “You should have seen the looks on those poor peoples faces, said Ted!” Another highlight in his career was photographing Swan Lake and several other Ballets for Michael Edgely and his first wife.

The most successful shot however was from a Bird of a Different Feather- a pelican no less.  As it happened I had a very small part in that too- you see it was on the way home from dropping me off to Bryan after I had accompanied Ted on another job on the Murray Explorer, that Ted stopped off in Loxton at 6am in the morning and captured that photo which then was used all over the world for the State Government and other organizations, the famous, “Pelican on a Snag” which most of you would have seen one time or another over the years.

Another of Ted’s interests is Orchid growing and I feel very privileged to just have had a flower named after me, which was a great honour.

Here is another link to a modelling story in my art blog if you fancy a look; 12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

THE ART OF AGING WELL

At 83 he shows no signs of slowing down and still goes out on the river and rows most mornings before he starts work.  When we first met, Ted told me that he was going to live to a 130, and I believed him then and I believe him still, so I was not surprised when he just told me in an email recently, after I had bugged him with all my questions about his past, he said, “I am exhausted, you have put a “middle aged” man under pressure!”

Half his luck, I certainly hope that I follow his lead and Ted I wish you great success with the rest of your  “middle age”.  Just keep on enjoying Life.

And I think this saying by Peter Ustinov (actor) fits perfectly here.

“The point of living, and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best if yet to come”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie xxx                                                        (c)

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.

]]> https://mariejonssonharrison.com.au/58-a-lifetime-of-pix/feed/ 0