Claudia's portrait sadly neglected - Page 2

Linda Brandon · 10-08-2003, 04:00 PM

Note to Mike McCarty: I didn't eat the WHOLE bag, I may have shared. A little. NO ill effects.

Treacle and molasses are listed as seperate ingredients. On second thought, I don't really want to know what treacle is.

By the way, I much prefer this Australian "liquorice" to its Dutch counterpart (sorry, Peter J. and Scott B.).

http://www.dlea.com.au/liquorice.asp

Mike McCarty · 10-08-2003, 06:36 PM

Quote:

I also wanted to add that an Aussie friend brought me a bag of Darrell Lea Soft Licorice over the weekend. I see I've just eaten 500g of a product containing "treacle", just what is that, really?

Linda,

Your curiosity is well placed, those clever Aussies have been dumping their "licorice" on unsuspecting Americans for years. The word "licorice" in Australian of course means "small rodent." The prefix "lico" from the Latin "licum" and the suffix "rice" from the Chinese "mice."

The "treacle" is a small appendage from the licorice.

I hope this sheds some light.

Steven Sweeney · 10-08-2003, 07:14 PM

Quote:

The "treacle" is a small appendage from the licorice.

If you ever get the chance to enjoy a formal 12-course Chinese dinner, Mike, you'll discover that the appendage isn't nearly as small as you'd hoped. (And they don't give you a knife.)

Mike McCarty · 10-08-2003, 08:49 PM

Right you are Steven.

This gives further evidence that we now live in a global economy. Once the treacle was reviled by all but a few societies, but now it can be enjoyed by people all over the world.

Even laced with molasses, I for one will be slow to come to this treacle.

Michele Rushworth · 10-10-2003, 10:44 AM

Especially in January.

Steven Sweeney · 10-12-2003, 06:02 PM

Hi Rachel,

Tried to email, but we must not have the current address. I hope our chattiness in the course of discussing your pastel didn

Mike McCarty · 10-13-2003, 10:47 AM

Rachel,

I too apologize for getting too silly in the middle of your serious work (which I like). Rarely does Linda open the door sooo wide, I just couldn't help myself. When things roll off the table around here you can often find me at the core.

I too have been to your beautiful city.

Rachel Mauger · 10-13-2003, 10:07 PM

My computer is doing what all computers do and playing up!

I did post a response but something obviously happened. Unfortunately there are lot of places for bytes to go missing in cyberspace.

First of all, thank you everyone and please feel free to chat, I love this kind of informal banter.
I was in Sydney when I joined up, but as I mentioned moved, the move was to Melbourne and the baby came 8 weeks later. Needless to say it has been a busy couple of years!

I have felt rather isolated so enjoy this Forum on both levels.

Thank you for your insightful comments and I definitely intend to put your well thought out advice to work. I have just signed up for a class and we get free choice every third week so I think I will use the time to attack this piece.

I have cast aside all commitments of late to work on a birthday present for my husband's grandmother of her late husband. Stay tuned, I should be posting it shortly.

I worked out that it is the first full portrait painting I have attempted in over two years. Boy am I rusty!

There are a few trouble spots but I will reveal all in due time!

Re: the licorice. Tell your friend that next time to forget the licore and bring you some real Australian delicacies such as Tim Tams, and anything that is Cadbury chocolate! No Treacle but better than any licore you will ever taste. If you are keen on the licore though, there are 'Bullets' - 2cm of licore dipped in chocolate.

Thanks all.

Steven Sweeney · 10-14-2003, 06:48 AM

I can confirm the desirability of Tim Tams. Fellow employees of my wife know to always bring her two packages of Tim Tams whenever they come to the U.S. There were in fact some in our freezer until perhaps a few days ago. Alas, I've just checked, and I was too slow.

I confess to having forgotten all about the word "licore". In my defense, we always had U.S. visitors coming to Australia bring us packages of red Twizzlers. (Though it changed in the late '90s, U.S. brands weren't very popularly marketed in Oz when we arrived earlier.)

Lon Haverly · 10-17-2003, 01:19 AM

Rachel,

I would have approached this a little differently colorwise. You went brighter in the blues. I would have kept them lower in intensity, allowing the face to exist without having to compete.

The viewer's right eye might be too close to the bridge of the nose, causing the nose to look too long. This is a very critical measurement in a child this age. The shadow there could cause you to be distracted from the positions. The slightest variance here can really create problems.

Perhaps your instincts are correct to leave this off. It is a worthy subject, however. If it were me, I would start over and go cooler temperatures, gleaning from my mistakes on the first worthy effort.