All Sites Best of the Web

Details
Category: All Sites Best of the Web
Hits: 117

Artist Jeremy Eden poses with his painting of actor Samuel Johnson, after winning the ANZ Archibald People’s Choice Award 2022 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Wednesday, August 3, 2022. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi) NO ARCHIVING 

Artist Jeremy Eden poses with his painting of actor Samuel Johnson, after winning the ANZ Archibald People’s Choice Award 2022 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Wednesday, August 3, 2022. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi)

Artist Jeremy Eden has won the Archibald Prize People's Choice Award with a portrait of actor Samuel Johnson.

A record 35,268 gallery-goers voted in the 2022 award, the most since the prize was first offered in 1988.

After receiving the award at the Art Gallery of NSW, Eden said he was ecstatic to win the popular vote in his second consecutive year as an Archibald finalist.

"It's been life-changing ... I just hope I can grow with it and be one of those people that's here every year," he told AAP.

Being a finalist has alone meant more commissions, and he hopes Wednesday's win will lead to gallery representation.

"I went from being an emerging artist with nothing to back me up, to people somewhat knowing who I am, which is lovely."

The Sydney-based artist first met Johnson in 2021 while the actor was recovering from a near-fatal car accident.

He was in a neck brace when they first spoke on a video call, and the pair bonded over their shared experience of losing close family members to cancer.

Eden's mother died from the illness in 2008, while Johnson founded the cancer charity Love Your Sister with his sibling Connie before she died in 2017.

The winning portrait depicts Johnson holding a photo of Eden's mother Annette, after the actor encouraged Eden to include his personal story in the portrait too.

The painter flew to Melbourne for a live sitting with Johnson, then worked six hours a day for 10 weeks to finish the portrait.

"The people have spoken and they loved Jeremy the most," Johnson said in a statement.

"He is an extraordinary storyteller, has a huge heart and he deserves this acknowledgement so fully."

Love your Sister has a substantial public following and has raised more than $15 million for cancer research.

The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes are on show at the gallery until August 28, and the Archibald finalists will tour regional Victoria and NSW until July 2023.

© AAP 2022

Details
Category: All Sites Best of the Web
Hits: 115

bullet train feature

Just get off the train. Easy, right?

Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt lands in cinemas this week!

Pitt plays an unlucky assassin called Ladybug determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. His first job back is meant to be simple - retrieve a briefcase from a train and then get off the train - but fate has other plans.

The mission puts Ladybug on a collision course with five lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives.

And it all takes place on the world's fastest train, making the whole movie a wild, non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan.

 The movie was made at the height of the pandemic and also stars Sandra Bullock, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon and Benito A Martínez Ocasio.

The glamorous cast of Bullet Train have walked (and in Brad Pitt's case, leapt) the pink carpet at the LA Premiere of the film.

Cast and crew

Brad Pitt

As the trailer shows, there’s some great deadpan humour from Pitt thanks to direction from David Leitch of Deadpool 2 fame.

Leitch has been Pitt's stunt double for previous movies, but apparently Pitt did 95% of his own stunts for Bullet Train.

 

The movie is based on the book Maria Beetle by Kotaro Isaka, so get in quick if you like reading the book before seeing it interpreted on the big screen.

Main image: Sony Pictures

Details
Category: All Sites Best of the Web
Hits: 122

feature man fire spider

A Utah man has been arrested on accusations he started a wildfire while trying to burn a spider with his lighter.

Cory Allan Martin, 26, told deputies that he saw the spider Monday while he was in a hiking area in the foothills south of Salt Lake City near the city of Springville, a police statement shows.

He acknowledged starting the fire but didn't explain why he was trying to burn the spider.

via GIPHY

Deputies found a jar of marijuana in his belongings but he didn't appear to be high, Utah County Sheriff's Sergeant Spencer Cannon said.

There was no evidence to suggest he intentionally started the blaze, Cannon said, but he called it a reckless and puzzling decision.

This area and most of Utah are bone dry amid extreme drought conditions.

"What led him to stop and notice a spider and decide to try to burn it, we don't know," Cannon said.

"There may not be a why. He might not even know a why."

Martin was arrested on suspicion of reckless burn and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, court documents show.

He was in the Utah County jail Tuesday on nearly $US2000 ($A2900) bail. It was unknown if he had a lawyer.

The wildfire quickly spread up the mountain and had burned more than 24 hectares as of Tuesday, according to fire officials. No homes had been damaged.

© AP 2022

Details
Category: All Sites Best of the Web
Hits: 115

A recent study by the LEGO group has shown a few interesting facts about the amount we play with our kids.

The report titled The Play Well Study points out that despite the power of play being able to strengthen children’s creativity, communication, problem-solving skills and confidence, we’re just not playing enough

One key message to come out of it was that 8 in 10 children wish they could play more with their parents, It's heartbreaking, and drives home the importance of putting time aside for our family. 

A day we should all mark in our calendars is the upcoming LEGO celebration of their "World Play Day"  on August 10, dedicated to reminding us and our inner child, (and a couple of those outer ones) that we need to cast off the shackles of work and commitment and play our hearts out. 

This year is really special as the group celebrates 90 Years of LEGO and we'll all be encouraged to play for 90 minutes on August 10. 

Play makes today’s children better adults of tomorrow and helps them broaden horizons with 9 in 10 parents (88%) thinking that play is important in helping children learn new things, which is nearly as much as the role of school.

The story of the popular product that has stood the test of time dates back to 1932, where in a small workshop in Billund, Denmark, a humble carpenter made a collection of 36 small toys to help the town children to learn about the world.

What began as a passion and took root in Ole Kirk Kristiansen would grow, steadily to today being, year after year and decade after decade into one of the world's biggest toy companies inspiring millions of children every year!

 It's a toy that has been unstoppable, and even in today's video game-obsessed environment, it's as strong as ever and even finds ways to integrate.

Various enthusiasts around the globe are celebrating in their own way as well.

World-renowned artists like Hebru Brantley have got behind the 90 Minutes of play message.

Even Alicia Keys has traded in the piano for some bricks to play

 

Or sporting superstar Thierry Henry, who is used to 90 minutes of play on the Football pitch

 

Look out for huge events on World Play Day. If you are in the area, LEGO Australia is turning Sydney’s Darling Harbour into a playground with 20 life-sized LEGO Minifigures taking over the precinct until 14 August 2022.

Alternatively for families across the nation, Play Hour (and a half!) can still be a priority this World Play Day from home with lots of fun, creative play ideas at LEGO.com/90-Years-Of-Play or shared via #LEGO90years.