tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369750872009-12-08T22:08:33.911+11:00*Photos of some of my artworks.* Also includes essays and links on books, science, spirituality, animals, and more! Thanks to all who visit regularly. Please leave your comments, and I hope you enjoy your time here. Please visit again soon!FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.comBlogger2292625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-57557762462813592342007-12-05T15:56:00.000+11:002007-12-05T15:56:46.771+11:00

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-76969427565603258492007-12-05T15:34:00.000+11:002007-12-05T15:37:59.555+11:00

What part of the world are you living in right now? (Roughly arranged by continent...)New Zealand - 0 (0%)Africa - 1 (3%) India / Asia - 1 (3%)Western Europe - 2 (6%)UK - 2 (6%) Russia / Eastern Europe - 2 (6%) North America - 15 (46%)Central America - 1 (3%)South America - 0 (0%)Australia - Victoria - 5 (15%) Australia - Tasmania - 0 (0%)Australia - New South Wales - 1 (3%) Australia -

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-65844452150792797382007-12-05T15:29:00.000+11:002007-12-05T15:30:00.619+11:00

I must have been reading that bit in Job about Leviathan, that massive sea creature of indeterminate species (read it carefully, you can't tell me you think it accurately represents a crocodile or hippopotamus, can you?)... Obviously I can't exactly represent the animal in the Bible - it is probably extinct now. I often used to think it would be silly to dismiss all the ancient tales of fierce

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-75114782991079567312007-12-01T16:09:00.000+11:002007-12-01T16:09:38.530+11:00

Zephyrosaurus - a drawing of a hypsilophodont dinosaur. Its fossils were discovered in North America , and named in 1980. It is believed to have been a bipedal herbivore similar to Gasparinisaura and Hypsilophodon.I recently bought a new pack of felt tip markers designed for posters. Perfect for school projects - and housewives who want to chill out drawing pictures of extinct animals! (No

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-73189112657857768332007-11-30T13:52:00.000+11:002007-11-30T13:53:09.006+11:00

If you're wondering how it's possible to take a self-portrait photo without holding the camera, it's pretty simple actually... In this case, the camera is set up on a tripod, a few experimental shots (and the assistance of my more photographically skilled husband), I set the camera to accept commands from an infra-red remote control, which is obscured from sight in my right hand.Not much else to

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-44624761892485193662007-11-29T11:05:00.000+11:002007-11-29T11:06:02.716+11:00

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-11203662041767591262007-11-28T10:00:00.000+11:002007-11-28T10:00:29.398+11:00

Thanks to the wonders of iPhoto and Big Huge Labs, I was able to take this slightly menacing self portrait and give it a bit of a pop art feel!(Also at flickr.com/photos/fizuleikaoftheswamp/.)

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-13592317155894659712007-11-27T10:18:00.000+11:002007-11-27T10:31:01.362+11:00

I am compiling a series of Christmas-inspired Bible studies and reflections on my other blog, fizzy musings. They are short and easy to read, so if you're looking for some sort of inspiration for pre-Christmas devotionals, you may like to try them. I believe they will be suitably easy for new Christians, and open-minded spiritual seekers, too.On fizzy musings:Christmas - themed Bible studies

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-40087724505985146662007-11-26T12:21:00.000+11:002007-11-26T12:21:33.562+11:00

Christmas time often required a mandatory car ride to view the often over-elaborate light and decoration displays as the local towns competed for the AM Radio Station's and local newspaper's Christmas display competitions.I remember one drive along a dirt road between farms when what looked like a carnival appeared in view. It turned out to be a farmhouse, heavily lit in the otherwise pitch black

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-24124709171230875012007-11-24T14:49:00.000+11:002007-11-24T14:49:28.402+11:00

In my earlier childhood, Christmas Eve meant a sunset picnic to celebrate my dad's birthday. We would head out to a local nature park for a barbecue, to play on the swings and go for a stroll through the forest of European trees (here in south-east Australia). There was something exciting about the sunset, the atmosphere, the enjoyment, and the anticipation of the coming Christmas celebrations.

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-64651825473878034982007-11-22T11:26:00.000+11:002007-11-22T11:26:46.341+11:00

Manfred (AUS b h 1922) (by Valais [GB 1913] from Otford [AUS 1915], by Tressady [GB 1907]) was a top Australian racing stallion in the 1920s. He won several important races including the AJC Derby (1925), the W. S. Cox Plate (1925), the VRC Victoria Derby (1925), and the Caulfield Cup (1926).References:The Australian Thoroughbred Stud BookHutchinson, G. (Editor), (1999), They're Racing!: the

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-15336954295716392582007-11-21T11:39:00.000+11:002007-11-22T11:39:44.779+11:00

Another Christmas memory! Growing up in the country was great. I regularly got to visit my grandparents' farm, where they variously farmed dairy and beef cattle, and occasionally sheep and pigs. Sometimes we'd get to spend Christmas dinner there. That side of the family is massive, to say the least, so it would always be a huge gathering. On top of that, there are often visitors from our extended

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-89372654839383029902007-11-20T10:59:00.000+11:002007-11-20T10:59:32.419+11:00

Another Christmas memory... I attended Catholic school - both primary and secondary schools - and so Christmas time meant all the annual celebrations that go with Catholic communities. On Christmas Eve we would head off to mass, which was often held in the primary school yard. People would bring picnic blankets and little fold out chairs, piles of gifts, all that. Many of my family members went

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-27344635539506030152007-11-20T10:22:00.000+11:002007-11-20T10:22:15.966+11:00

Christmas memories... I love Christmas time, for so many reasons! I recently sat down and drew a series of sketches, like this one, of some of my memories of this time of year.Christmas in Australia equals hot summer weather; barbecues (I'm a vegetarian so barbecues involve veggie burgers and salad!); family time; church events; long drives into the country to visit family... And, as illustrated

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-66099921279590728462007-11-19T14:24:00.000+11:002007-11-19T14:24:42.582+11:00

Another one of those late night pencil drawings. Let's face it, for some reason most of my drawings are done at night!

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-9147816177148078542007-11-16T14:24:00.000+11:002007-11-16T14:25:00.346+11:00

One of the wonderful examples of unique Australian fauna is the platypus. Yes, they are real animals! I once read a suggestion on one blog that perhaps they were mythical creatures, but no, the platypus is definitely for real! They are also, like many Aussie animals, quite poisonous (the males are), and not as innocently cute as they appear!For more information:Weston, P. (2002), 'The platypus,'

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-55025742024244812332007-11-15T15:28:00.000+11:002007-11-15T15:27:30.394+11:00

Another one! I just can't stop drawing unicorns. They seem to draw themselves!

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-4232639583485341532007-11-15T15:26:00.000+11:002007-11-15T15:26:15.280+11:00

This is a Silver Gull (Larus novaehollandiae) with its baby at the seagull nesting colony on Phillip Island, Victoria, just near Seal Rocks and the Nobbies. I had never seen a baby gull before, at least, not as far as I could recall. Unfortunately, due to aformentioned allergy problems, the birds made me sneezey and by midnight the allergic reaction was so bad I ended up back in hospital. I am

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-4124991464651411782007-11-15T15:18:00.000+11:002007-11-15T15:20:01.999+11:00

A recent trip to Phillip Island provided the perfect photo opportunity, except that my husband was hogging the camera! This is one of the very few photos I managed to snap on the day. It was taken at Cowrie Beach, on the way to the Penguin Parade (which we were visiting as a present for our daughter's 3rd birthday).I grew up in the Gippsland region of Victoria, so it was like a homecoming for me

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-26157886004170487002007-11-15T15:00:00.000+11:002007-11-15T15:00:18.275+11:00

This pencil drawing is based on a photo of the Thoroughbred racehorse Murmur (AUS g 1899, by Arsenal from Millstream, by Town Moor), who won the 1904 Caulfield Cup.Murmur's sire, Arsenal (AUS br h 1882, by Goldsbrough from Powder, by Blinkhoolie [GB 1864]) was winner of the 1886 Melbourne Cup, which is popularly known as Australia's most important horserace. In the state of Victoria, we even get

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-58878976757412468542007-11-15T14:46:00.000+11:002007-11-15T14:46:10.959+11:00

This drawing is based on a photo of Australian racehorse Redleap (AUS h 1884), winner of the VRC Grand National Hurdle in 1889 and 1892, and the 1892 VRC Grand National Steeple. His sire was Dante (AUS h 1870), by Fireworks (AUS h 1864) from Rose De Florence (GB m 1855); and his dam was Pandora (AUS m 1868), by Panic (GB 1858) from Flying Roe (AUS 1860).References:The Australian Thoroughbred Stud

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-90736496178446473032007-11-10T14:44:00.000+11:002007-11-10T14:44:07.050+11:00

I love cattle! I think they're one of the most underrated animals on God's green Earth! Being a born and bred country bumpkin (now trying to fit in with the sophisticated suburbs and not doing too well at that!), I have had plenty of experience with cows. The pretty Jerseys, the big, assertive Holstein-Friesians, the Herefords that don't seem to do much but eat and run, the Angus bull Nivek that

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-76160090897876645092007-11-10T14:16:00.000+11:002007-11-10T14:16:10.186+11:00

Genesis 1:26-31Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-75921631846098393242007-11-09T13:17:00.000+11:002007-11-09T13:17:35.696+11:00

This was inspired by a toy elephant that happened to be on the couch opposite me one late evening, when my pencils and sketchbook were close at hand. There are two of these toy elephants, actually, a mum and a baby elephant. They were originally bought for one of my husband's cousins, I'm told, but by the time they remembered to give it too him he was arguably too old to need soft toys; thus, my

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36975087.post-17889319812963920452007-11-09T12:44:00.000+11:002007-11-09T12:44:34.186+11:00

Genesis 1:24-25God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals - all kinds." And there it was: wild animals of every kind, Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. God saw that it was good. (The Message)Further Reading:P. Taylor and M. Van Bebber (1994), 'Six days or billions of years,' Creation ex nihilo 16(4):48–49, http://

FiKaLohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08887749621567736093noreply@blogger.com0