Melbourne, Australia in summer can get hot. Very hot. As the desert centre of Australia heats up during this season, the weather cycle brings occasionally brings a wind that drags those conditions south east, scorching the city as though you are standing in a hair dryer. The past summer in Melbourne has been mostly milder…
Where to begin with this tale is a tough one. Of all the jobs I have had, working in the The Northern’s Maternity Unit is going to be one of the places I will forever be most proud of working in. But the why this is, isn’t simple. I’ve worked in Children’s Oncology and a…
In every inch of its existence Venice’s history stands in contrast with commerce. The deep laneways are a wonder to wander with discoveries to be had around every corner. It is a city that grew in an era of non-existent town planning, and is all the more astonishing for it. Between the weathered walls, glass…
It’s been a while since I wrote a typecast. I’m not sure if I have to time or the mindset for much writing at the moment, but I just felt a need to get some thoughts down on paper. So pardon the spelling and typos, and buckle up your Warning: The following contains graphic depictions…
We’ve entered a new age. An age when boxing ourselves up into our homes has become more rewarding than ever. The abundance of high-definition television and audio at our fingertips along with very comfortable couches in short reach of the fridge and toilet, has led to us exploring the world from our lounge-suites. But with…
Another book? Another book! The last two Cold, Hard Type books are great little tasting plates for the creativity of some of my fellow members of the Typosphere. If you have not read them yet, in the word of Molly Meldrum: Do yourself a favour. The can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/Paradigm-Shifts-Typewritten-Digital-Collapse/dp/1097972631 https://www.amazon.com/Escapements-Typewritten-Tales-Post-Digital-Worlds/dp/1097991105 Well, this time…
I stood by the roadside on a warm autumn morning with a pocket full of cash, and a racing heart. I felt this deal would fall apart at any second, and I wasn’t sure if it was him – or me that was going to break it. A man in a well loved, but battered…
Earlier this year one of Melbourne’s more prestigious auction houses cleared the belongings from Mirka’s studio in Richmond. Calling the auction “The Magical Studio of Mirka Mora” ,they rebuilt much of the studio in their auction house in tribute to the artist – with the help of William, one of her sons. Mirka was…
Writing is easy. You just make Earnest Hemingway sit at a typewriter and bleed him. It’s all he’s good for, really. When Richard Polt announced the idea of Cold Hard Type I was excited and keen to get involved. Indeed I was already involved – way back in 2012 when I started (but never finished)…
I clutched my camera firmly to my chest, hunkered down and learned against a wall made 2000 years or so years ago. My nylon poncho flailed around in the wind as a bitterly cold rain lashed my face. The ceiling of this building had been blown away in a storm of a different kind long…
I’ll just say this. There comes a point when you are spending so much time with the great classics of art, that you find yourself really grasping what modern art is all about. Gosh I love history, but while I was surrounded by such breathtaking pieces of art I felt myself desperately seeking a breath…
The flying time from Melbourne, Australia is brutal. I watched the sun rise as our plane took off at 6am, only to see it set 22 hours later as we commenced our descent into Leonardo Da Vinci – fiumicino Airport. On the way we stopped by Dubai for two hours, providing a stark contrast in…
I have just learned that WordPress is now placing ads on this page. These ads are neither endorsed, or were expected by me. Please do not click any healthcare related ads thinking that I endorse these services. I will rectify the situation as soon as I can. “I know what you are doing” the man…
In a group email recently Richard Polt discussed the idea of producing a book made up of contributed stories about typewriters and typing in a post apocalyptic world. And why not! I started writing a series something like that a little while ago which I am yet to finish. The first of which episode can…
In this jet-lagged episode I visit an exhibition in a gallery in Rome, Italy, where the art of Olivetti’s design, as well as the company’s past and future is examined. In the Filthy Labs segment, I revisit my 2012 blog on 3D printing a typewriter. As usual, my podcast is available on iTunes podcast: Or…
The Filthy Platen 