Claude Monet Monet's Garden at argenteuilPaul Gauguin Woman with a FlowerPaul Gauguin The Seed of Areoi
Here is what it looked like.
It looked like a piano sounds shortly after being dropped down a well. It tasted yellow, and felt Paisley. It smelled like awas a column of octarine light that creaked loudly as they poured their power into it. At its base stood Abrim, the octarine gems on the hat blazing so brightly that they looked more like holes cut through into a different universe where, in defiance of probability, they had come out inside a sun.
The vizier stood with his hands out, fingers splayed, eyes shut, mouth a thin line of concentration, balancing the forces. Usually a wizard could control power only to the extent of his total eclipse of the moon. Of course, nearer to the tower it got really weird.Expecting anything unprotected to survive in that would be like expecting snow on a supernova. Fortunately the Luggage didn't know this, and slid through the maelstrom with raw magic crystallising on its lid and hinges. It was in a foul mood but, again, there was nothing very unusual about this, except that the crackling fury earthing itself spectacularly all over the Luggage in a multi-coloured corona gave it the appearance of an early and very angry amphibian crawling out of a burning swamp.It was hot and stuffy inside the tower. There were no internal floors, just a series of walkways around the walls. They were lined with wizards, and the central space
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Leroy Neiman Mardi Gras Parade
Leroy Neiman Mardi Gras ParadeLeroy Neiman Lights of BroadwayLeroy Neiman Lady Liberty
'Isn't there some sort of formal ceremony?' he said.
Carding coughed.
'I-er, no,' he said.eerily until it pointed towards him. Once again Coin seemed to be listening to an inner voice.
'No,' he said eventually, and when he spoke next his voice had that wide, echoing quality that, if you are not a wizard, you can only achieve with a lot of very expensive audio equipment. 'There will be a ceremony. There must be a ceremony, people must understand that wizards are ruling, but it will not be here. I will select a place. And all the wizards who have passed through these gates will attend, is that understood?'
'Some of them live far off,' said Carding, carefully. 'It will take them some time to travel, so when 'No, I don't think so.' He glanced up at the other senior mages, who shook their heads. 'No. We've never had one. Apart from the feast, of course. Er. You see, it's not like a coronation, the Archchancellor, you see, he leads the fraternity of wizards, he's,' Carding's voice ran down slowly in the light of that golden gaze, 'he's you see ... he's the ... first ...among ... equals ...'He stepped back hurriedly as the staff moved
'Isn't there some sort of formal ceremony?' he said.
Carding coughed.
'I-er, no,' he said.eerily until it pointed towards him. Once again Coin seemed to be listening to an inner voice.
'No,' he said eventually, and when he spoke next his voice had that wide, echoing quality that, if you are not a wizard, you can only achieve with a lot of very expensive audio equipment. 'There will be a ceremony. There must be a ceremony, people must understand that wizards are ruling, but it will not be here. I will select a place. And all the wizards who have passed through these gates will attend, is that understood?'
'Some of them live far off,' said Carding, carefully. 'It will take them some time to travel, so when 'No, I don't think so.' He glanced up at the other senior mages, who shook their heads. 'No. We've never had one. Apart from the feast, of course. Er. You see, it's not like a coronation, the Archchancellor, you see, he leads the fraternity of wizards, he's,' Carding's voice ran down slowly in the light of that golden gaze, 'he's you see ... he's the ... first ...among ... equals ...'He stepped back hurriedly as the staff moved
Leonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa Smile
Leonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa SmileLeonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa PaintingRembrandt Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery
'Take him out and throw him in the street,' said Spelter. The porters, big solid serious men, nodded. They gripped the boy's pipestem arms with hands like banana bunches.
'Your father will looking rather like a small captive balloon that had for some reason been draped in blue velvet and vermine; between them, the wizards averaged out as two normal-sized men.
Unfortunately, Billias was the type of person who prided himself on being good with children. He bent down as far as his dinner would allow and thrust a whiskery red face towards the boy.
'What's the matter, lad?' he said.
'This child had forced his way into here becausehear of this,' said Spelter severely.'He already has,' said the boy. He glanced up at the two men and shrugged.'What's going on here?'Spelter turned to see Skarmer Billias, head of the Order of the Silver Star. Whereas Spelter tended towards the wiry, Billias was expansive,
'Take him out and throw him in the street,' said Spelter. The porters, big solid serious men, nodded. They gripped the boy's pipestem arms with hands like banana bunches.
'Your father will looking rather like a small captive balloon that had for some reason been draped in blue velvet and vermine; between them, the wizards averaged out as two normal-sized men.
Unfortunately, Billias was the type of person who prided himself on being good with children. He bent down as far as his dinner would allow and thrust a whiskery red face towards the boy.
'What's the matter, lad?' he said.
'This child had forced his way into here becausehear of this,' said Spelter severely.'He already has,' said the boy. He glanced up at the two men and shrugged.'What's going on here?'Spelter turned to see Skarmer Billias, head of the Order of the Silver Star. Whereas Spelter tended towards the wiry, Billias was expansive,
Monday, April 6, 2009
Paul Cezanne Still Life with a Skull
Paul Cezanne Still Life with a SkullPaul Cezanne Jas de Bouffan the PoolPaul Cezanne House of Pere Lacroix
scrambled up in time to see Arthur hanging grimly on to the handle of the other trolley as the two of them whirred around in a mad centrifugal waltz.
‘Let go! Let go!’ Doreen screamed.
‘I can’t! I can’t!’
‘Well, do wall. The words “Better late than nev” ended in a desperate streak of paint.
‘Show him a wall and a paint pot and he doesn’t know what world he’s in,’ said Doreen.
‘He’s only got a choice of two,’ said Windle, throwing the trolley wheels across the floor. ‘Lupine, keep a look-out in case there’s any more.’ The wheels had been sharp, like ice skates. He was definitely feeling tattered around the legs. Now, how did healing go? Reg Shoe was helped into a sitting position.
‘What’s happening?’ he said.’No-one else wassomething!’There was a pop of inrushing air. The trolley was suddenly not straining against the weight of a middle-aged wholesale, fruit and vegetable entrepreneur but only against a small terrified bat. It rocketed into a marble pillar, bounced off, hit a wall and landed on its back, wheels spinning. ‘The wheels!’ shouted Ludmilla.’Pull the wheels off!’‘I’ll do that,’ said Windle.’You help Reg.’‘Is that Reg down there?’ said Doreen.Windle jerked his thumb towards the distant
scrambled up in time to see Arthur hanging grimly on to the handle of the other trolley as the two of them whirred around in a mad centrifugal waltz.
‘Let go! Let go!’ Doreen screamed.
‘I can’t! I can’t!’
‘Well, do wall. The words “Better late than nev” ended in a desperate streak of paint.
‘Show him a wall and a paint pot and he doesn’t know what world he’s in,’ said Doreen.
‘He’s only got a choice of two,’ said Windle, throwing the trolley wheels across the floor. ‘Lupine, keep a look-out in case there’s any more.’ The wheels had been sharp, like ice skates. He was definitely feeling tattered around the legs. Now, how did healing go? Reg Shoe was helped into a sitting position.
‘What’s happening?’ he said.’No-one else wassomething!’There was a pop of inrushing air. The trolley was suddenly not straining against the weight of a middle-aged wholesale, fruit and vegetable entrepreneur but only against a small terrified bat. It rocketed into a marble pillar, bounced off, hit a wall and landed on its back, wheels spinning. ‘The wheels!’ shouted Ludmilla.’Pull the wheels off!’‘I’ll do that,’ said Windle.’You help Reg.’‘Is that Reg down there?’ said Doreen.Windle jerked his thumb towards the distant
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Paul Gauguin Yellow Christ
Paul Gauguin Yellow ChristPaul Gauguin Where Do We Come FromPaul Gauguin The Yellow Christ
a wizard, yoysee -‘
‘All right, but see you wipes your feet.’
‘May I come in?’
Windle Poons paused. He replayed the last few lines of conversation in the clicking control room of his brain. And then he smiled. ‘That’s right, ‘ said Mrs Cake.
‘Are you by any chance a natural clairvoyant?’
‘About ten seconds usually, Mr Poons.’
Windle hesitated.
‘You gotta ask the question,’ said Mrs Cake quickly. ‘I gets a migraine if people goes and viciously not asks ‘And you’d like a cup of tea,’ said Mrs Cake to Windle. Someone else might have said ‘I expect you’d like a cup of tea’, or ‘Do you want a cup of tea?’ But this was a statement.questions after I’ve already foreseen ‘em and answered ‘em.’‘How far into the future can you see, Mrs Cake?’She nodded.‘Roight, then,’ she said, apparently mollified, and led the way through the hall into a tiny sitting-room.‘And the bogey can come in, only he’s got to leave ‘is door outside and go in the cellar. I don’t hold with bogeys wanderin’ around the house.’‘Gosh, it’s ages since I’ve been in a proper cellar,’ said Schleppel.‘It’s got spiders in it,’ said Mrs Cake.‘Wow!’
‘Yes, please, ‘ said Windle. ‘I ‘d love a cup of tea.’
a wizard, yoysee -‘
‘All right, but see you wipes your feet.’
‘May I come in?’
Windle Poons paused. He replayed the last few lines of conversation in the clicking control room of his brain. And then he smiled. ‘That’s right, ‘ said Mrs Cake.
‘Are you by any chance a natural clairvoyant?’
‘About ten seconds usually, Mr Poons.’
Windle hesitated.
‘You gotta ask the question,’ said Mrs Cake quickly. ‘I gets a migraine if people goes and viciously not asks ‘And you’d like a cup of tea,’ said Mrs Cake to Windle. Someone else might have said ‘I expect you’d like a cup of tea’, or ‘Do you want a cup of tea?’ But this was a statement.questions after I’ve already foreseen ‘em and answered ‘em.’‘How far into the future can you see, Mrs Cake?’She nodded.‘Roight, then,’ she said, apparently mollified, and led the way through the hall into a tiny sitting-room.‘And the bogey can come in, only he’s got to leave ‘is door outside and go in the cellar. I don’t hold with bogeys wanderin’ around the house.’‘Gosh, it’s ages since I’ve been in a proper cellar,’ said Schleppel.‘It’s got spiders in it,’ said Mrs Cake.‘Wow!’
‘Yes, please, ‘ said Windle. ‘I ‘d love a cup of tea.’
Thomas Kinkade CHRISTMAS MEMORIES
Thomas Kinkade CHRISTMAS MEMORIESThomas Kinkade BostonEdward Hopper Soir Bleu
people in a funny way.’ They stepped through the wicket gate in one of the big doors and the Dean shut it in Mrs Cake’s face.
‘He might not come,’ said the Senior Wrangler, as they crossed the quadrangle. ‘He didn’t come for poor old Windle’s farewell party.’
‘He’ll metallic noises.
The atmosphere in the Archchancellor’s study was very cold.
Eventually the Bursar quavered: ‘Maybe he’s busy?’
‘Shut up,’ said the wizards, in unison.
Something was happening. The floor inside the chalked magic octogram was going white with frost.
‘It’s never done that before,’ said the Senior Wrangler.
‘This is all wrong, you know,’ said the Dean. ‘We should have some come for the Rite,’ said Ridcully.’It doesn’t just send him an invitation, it puts a bloody RSVP on‘Oh, good. I like sherry,’ said the Bursar.‘Shut up, Bursar.’ There was an alley, somewhere in the Shades, which was the most alley-ridden part of an alley-ridden city.Something small and shiny rolled into it, and vanished in the darkness.After a while, there were faint
people in a funny way.’ They stepped through the wicket gate in one of the big doors and the Dean shut it in Mrs Cake’s face.
‘He might not come,’ said the Senior Wrangler, as they crossed the quadrangle. ‘He didn’t come for poor old Windle’s farewell party.’
‘He’ll metallic noises.
The atmosphere in the Archchancellor’s study was very cold.
Eventually the Bursar quavered: ‘Maybe he’s busy?’
‘Shut up,’ said the wizards, in unison.
Something was happening. The floor inside the chalked magic octogram was going white with frost.
‘It’s never done that before,’ said the Senior Wrangler.
‘This is all wrong, you know,’ said the Dean. ‘We should have some come for the Rite,’ said Ridcully.’It doesn’t just send him an invitation, it puts a bloody RSVP on‘Oh, good. I like sherry,’ said the Bursar.‘Shut up, Bursar.’ There was an alley, somewhere in the Shades, which was the most alley-ridden part of an alley-ridden city.Something small and shiny rolled into it, and vanished in the darkness.After a while, there were faint
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Guido Reni The Coronation of the Virgin
Guido Reni The Coronation of the VirginGuido Reni St JosephGuido Reni St JeromeGuido Reni Joseph and Potiphars' WifeFrancois Boucher Shepherd and Shepherdess Reposing
football team for the big city game on Hogswatchday.
Intellectually, Ridcully maintained his position for two reasons. One was that he never, ever, changed his mind about anything. The other was that it took him several minutes to understand any new idea put to him, and this is a very valuable trait in a leader, because anything anyone is still trying to explain to you after two minutes is this. There’s been a mistake somewhere.
He felt a cool breeze on his face and realised he’d tottered out into the open air. Ahead of him were the University’s gates, locked shut. Suddenly Windle Poons felt acutely claustrophobic.
He’d waited years to die, and now he had, and here he was stuck in this -
this mausoleum with a lot of daft old men, where he’d have to spend the rest probably important and anything they give up after a mere minute or so is almost certainly something they shouldn’t have been bothering you with in the first place. There seemed to be more Mustrum Ridcully than one body could reasonably contain.Plop. Plop.In the dark cupboard in the cellar, a whole shelf was already full.There was exactly as much Windle Poons as one body could contain, and he steered it carefully along the corridors.I never expected this, he thought. I don’t deserve
football team for the big city game on Hogswatchday.
Intellectually, Ridcully maintained his position for two reasons. One was that he never, ever, changed his mind about anything. The other was that it took him several minutes to understand any new idea put to him, and this is a very valuable trait in a leader, because anything anyone is still trying to explain to you after two minutes is this. There’s been a mistake somewhere.
He felt a cool breeze on his face and realised he’d tottered out into the open air. Ahead of him were the University’s gates, locked shut. Suddenly Windle Poons felt acutely claustrophobic.
He’d waited years to die, and now he had, and here he was stuck in this -
this mausoleum with a lot of daft old men, where he’d have to spend the rest probably important and anything they give up after a mere minute or so is almost certainly something they shouldn’t have been bothering you with in the first place. There seemed to be more Mustrum Ridcully than one body could reasonably contain.Plop. Plop.In the dark cupboard in the cellar, a whole shelf was already full.There was exactly as much Windle Poons as one body could contain, and he steered it carefully along the corridors.I never expected this, he thought. I don’t deserve
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