Shaun Tan’s The Lost Thing. Anyone who knows my influences would know I gain some inspiration from the Australia illustrator Shaun Tan. Recently I discovered he made an animation from his book The Lost Thing, an illustrated book I read a few years ago and wrote about with great enthusiasm. I believe he’s currently one of the best living illustrators we have in Australia. His stuff often revolves around discovery and wonder in the things forgotten and the relationship between the urban, nature and the unreal. He’s also a talented writer and goes beyond just creating illustrated books for kids, but books with enough maturity and understanding that anyone can pick them up and get something from them. I really relate to his sense of understanding and the idea of bringing the wonder and excitement of our childhood into our adult lives. He has a awe-inspiring imagination and his work is really inspiring and visually stunning.

He writes essays about how illustrated books should not only be enjoyed by children but adults as well. That we don't always have to be linear or analytical. That sometimes we should just stop and enjoy, images creatures, magical things created within our own minds. I think as adults we are encouraged to look at life from more of a left brain perspective, and it is somehow seen as a more intellectual, more respected.

I guess an example of that might be funding received in certain areas within Tasmania, or what studies are pushed or encouraged with students. My experience at college was trying to fit in as many art subjects as I could and trying to get away with that. There was only a number of art majors you could do that actually would count towards your final marks. That really depressed me because it wasn't the same for other areas like humanities, science or computing. The only other area that had that in common was music, and again I found that to be the same story. Why allow students to do more of those left brain subjects then more creative ones? How is science really more important than art, and why is computing more important than music? In my eyes, it's all equal. I'm not sure if it's changed now but I think in this day and age, that it really shouldn't be like that. Especially considering where we are. Tasmania has a multitude of opportunities for artists, and artists are very lucky here.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is similar to what Shaun makes, is that we shouldn't be so embarrassed by enjoying illustrated books. There shouldn't be that mentality that they're all for kids or family with kids. I guess the reason I talk about my childhood and about looking at things from the perspective of ones inner child is because some of us as adults are really close minded about art and limit what we enjoy simply because of ego. Either it's weak, immature or kiddy. Sometimes when I check out a whole bunch of animations at the DVD rental or buy an illustrated book I get these looks. These looks of "aren't you a little too old for that?", doesn't matter what it is.. There's just that idea that holds some people back.