Pop ups seem to be the new black!!

Seriously..they are popping up everywhere, and if The Daily Telegraph is doing a story on them - they must be transcending into the mainstream!... Maybe they are a reaction to the global slowdown but I believe they are a truly brilliant idea, allowing some creative spaces to move into different areas of the city that they may not able able to in any other circumstances...

One such space is the new Courtesy of the Artist pop up store that opens tonight on level 2 of The Strand Arcade. I had a sneak peak today as I wished Nina + Cesar+ Debbie good luck - and it looks amazing!

When I heard that they were setting up a space for a few months I had imagined a desk or counter in the middle of a walkway.... How wrong I was!! It is an actual store front with fantastic contemporary fixtures that will house some brilliant Australian contemporary jewellers such as George Plionis, Mel Young, Cheryl Maloney, Phoebe Porter, Cinnamon Lee, Mark Vaarwerk , Vanessa Samuels and on and on and on...

It should be a great night... hope you get there to have a look!

Also something that finishes this weekend is the solo exhibition of Peter Booth at Rex Irvin Art Dealers on Queen st Woollahra... Booth is a Melbourne artist that has had many many shows over the last few years... you know...one of those artists that you studied and learnt about in art school!! Well he is back this year for his bi-annual show at Rex's with big, dark, oil paintings of figures struggling through rough terrain, usually while its snowing!!

But the waterscape image (seen above) is by the artist Paul Ryan and it is the next exhibition at Rex Irwin's gallery. The 'waterscape' is a subject matter that Ive been trying my hand at too... and let me tell you its not easy! But I am enjoying the change of pace! But Im hoping to get a look at Pauls show this weekend.... But if not there is always the website!