Marie Jonsson Harrison » Salvador Dali

58. A Lifetime of Pix – Photography

Marie — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:55:07 +0000

EXHIBITION OPENING

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.

51. ART of Laughter is the best medicine mmm…. and maybe a little bit of snake

Marie — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 06:27:12 +0000

THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP

My long time friend Debonella (my nickname for her) had her birthday this week, and although she lives in another state and we see each other very rarely, I still treasure our friendship and the mad times we had together and she is every bit as beautiful now as she was in her modelling days a real artistic inspiration.

Debonella is crazy mad about horses and always have been and has represented Australia in horse events overseas. As she is a very private person I won’t tell you in what events but she is certainly up there with the Champions!

This painting depicts us just laying about and drinking champagne which if we had been asked what our hobbies were we may have included on the list- oh those were the days. I must confess I neither remember the name of this painting nor where it sold, not from too much champagne drinking though,LOL. If you enjoy the artblog below you may also enjoy this one 12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

THE ART OF FASHION

Anyway the time I was going to tell you about here, was when we were in the Philippines for 6 weeks on tour with a fashion parade.

We spent 4 or so weeks in Manila doing a daily lunch time show in one of the top hotels and then the next couple of weeks flying to the provinces around Philippines and doing the same. It was lots of fun but also hard work as in-between doing the parades there were always publicity shots to be done and interviews and television appearances, etc.

So at the time we were quite exhausted (not to mention all the partying we would be doing at night too, oh that glamorous life can be so tiring.)

Anyway Debonella spotted some locally produced tonic drink, advertising that you would be good as new and get that missing” spring” back in your step.

THE ART OF THE SNAKE

On closer inspection it was also noted that it did contain Snake! As I am a vegetarian that put stop to the consumption for me however my mad friend was still keen to try some. I should tell you now that us Australian girls are quite down to earth and always like having a laugh and maybe I and Debonella would always egg each other on even more, to amuse ourselves and particularly so when we got a bit tired.

So there we were in this 5 star hotel lobby just having been to the shop and bought the snake tonic drink, which Debonella finished in one swift skull when she thought she should show me how great it made her feel.

ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS

So to set the scene, the lobby is vast with a beautiful marble floor and décor to match, the people milling around are in Armani suits and other designer gear dripping with diamonds, when suddenly Debonella (looking stunning and statuesque as usual in full model makeup) starts to do giant leaps around the lobby like something out of Swan Lake with a few pirouettes thrown in.

Her friend, moi, looses the plot completely and I’m doubled over crying with laughter, whilst the whole lobby has come to a standstill and everyone are looking very surprised and slightly amused at us.

So nothing ventured nothing gained I figure, you have to live your life so that you have lots of fun memories to amuse you in your old age. As my old age is still far away (well that’s what I tell myself anyway) I hope to make plenty more for the memory bank!

So here is a quote I like and which fits perfectly here, said by Horace (Poet).

“Mix a little foolishness with your prudence: It’s good to be silly at the right moment.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting!

Love Marie xx

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.

12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

Marie — Thu, 06 May 2010 00:06:17 +0000

SCULPTURE BY GAUDI

My son Kai has recently been to Spain a country that I love.

I spent a considerable bit of time there in my modelling days, enjoying lots of great work, great food, people, language and culture. Most of my time was spent in Barcelona, where I actually did manage to go and see the wonderful artwork of Gaudi, images that stay on my mind. He built houses and sculptures like no one else I have ever seen. (And as I have said before about my party days, I think I did rather well to fit that into my busy schedule.)

I spent fantastic days and nights on Ibiza, my most favorite Island in the world when I was young, and would go there whenever time permitted.

This painting “Let it all hang out” was purchased by the Australian artist Pro Hart and hung in his house.

The image of this painting is probably a cross between Ibiza and Maslin’s Beach (designated nude beach) here in South Australia. I can almost smell the scent of the sea and feel the pulse of the music from the amazing nightclubs in Ibiza (well we called them Discos then and I was the Dancing Queen. lol)

SALVADOR DALI

I remember doing a swimwear catalogue in Sitges, the town by the sea that Salvador Dali called home. At the time I was only interested in that fact because my father is an artist and liked his artwork.

Now when I think back on that time and remember, I was on Salvador Dali’s doorstep for the most part of a week, doing bikini shoots all day with hairdressers and makeup artists fussing over me and then wined and dined at night. I think, boy I should have paid more attention, what a fabulous opportunity to see and find out more about one of the world’s most amazing artists. Oh well, C’est La Vie, no regrets, it could do your head in to think about all the what’ Ifs’ in life.

Here is another saying I like from The Mammoth Book of Useless Information

‘Most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes’

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting.

Love Marie xxx (c)