the grey threat that winter’s summery turn was about to end forced me out onto the streets today. that and the fact that i hadn’t really left the house in a week, and i thought i might chew my own arm off in protest. i’d been feeling blue, it’s true, and i wondered if buying myself treats would cheer me up. i tested this theory with an ink pad of sky blue, and then fingerless gloves crafted in navy wool, with white anchors handknitted into them. it totally worked!

my meandering eventually led me to “inherent vice” at the ngv studio at federation square, in which eight local comic artists have been holed up for some weeks, drawing. here you may walk freely amongst this elusive species in their (somewhat augmented) natural habitat. observe them at work. quiz them about their craft. look at their stuff.

and there was much stuff to look at: every last skerrick of wall space was covered in pictures…

every desktop a fascinating curation of bits and pieces…

(i must admit, there was more fruit than i’d expected to see on the desktops of comic artists…

…in comic-drawing mode, i’m sure it was chocolate i had within easy reach.)

this beautiful and inspiring installation is on for another week. after a couple of visits, i still gape at the walls in wonder. any minute now i might give in to the urge to draw something. good thing i didn’t gnaw off my arm after all.