Between times, Louise and I may pop along to an opening or two to see what’s going on outside our heady Chapter House Lane existence. One evening back in June we went into the Margaret Lawrence gallery at VCA to see the ‘Third/Fourth: Melbourne artist facilitated biennial’. With a long, long list of exhibiting artists the opening was something of a who’s who of VCA alumni and we went in search of inspiration and discovery. As we do, we separated on entry to do the rounds at our own pace. Later we met again to engage in some amateur analysis taking on Matlok Griffiths’ three-word-review challenge.

What’s interesting is that for our different backgrounds, and different approach, Louise and I will often reach a similar conclusion. In this instance, it was an unquestioned favourite in Matthew Benjamin’s French Toast.

It brought to mind a recent image of Tim Woodward’s work Master Baker I’d seen in Art and Australia magazine.

And I had to wonder what it was about the baguette that was so alluring. But not much and not for long, because what’s not to love about the baguette? Reminiscent of France, the revolution, liberté, égalité, fraternité – both works contain a side of protest with their stick of bread, a somewhat satisfying combination.

See www.timwoodward.com.