Greg Baines
Greg Baines has moved frequently in his life in Australia and spent over a decade living in China. He has painted and written as a way of reflecting on adaptation and change. He now lives outside Canberra. His writing process mirrors that of his oil and acrylic painting- a devotion to layering the writing and re-working pages many times to bring out the texture. His written work includes Disco Mao, Concrete Fish and The Nail House. His has exhibited in Shanghai and Regional New South Wales, Australia.
Greg Baines, Broken Heart, acrylic on wood, 76cmx 76cm, 2019.
"Origami mornings"
folded diagonally
from square mattresses
unfolding into slippers
diagonal creases
ironed out of fabric
flip
shovel down food
in hazes of steam
reveal top point to the bottom
of today's obstacles
left lower section to
central crease
some tears flow
fold one layer up
from the bottom of your sadness
and flip over
squash fold
pressing keys
and boxes of food
fold everything to central crease
lower flap under right
locks snap
into position
jump on my back
fold out the wings
we soar into
misty
morning
skies
folded diagonally
from square mattresses
unfolding into slippers
diagonal creases
ironed out of fabric
flip
shovel down food
in hazes of steam
reveal top point to the bottom
of today's obstacles
left lower section to
central crease
some tears flow
fold one layer up
from the bottom of your sadness
and flip over
squash fold
pressing keys
and boxes of food
fold everything to central crease
lower flap under right
locks snap
into position
jump on my back
fold out the wings
we soar into
misty
morning
skies
Greg Baines, Untitled, acrylic on wood, 76cmx 76cm, 2019.
if i could catch happiness
like butterflies i would net you great scoops
of fluttering colour
and we would drink nectar on the edges of
petals in showers of early morning light.
like butterflies i would net you great scoops
of fluttering colour
and we would drink nectar on the edges of
petals in showers of early morning light.
Greg Baines, Untitled, acrylic on wood, 76cmx 76cm, 2019.
About a Saint
is called
(Was) ‘Revolutionary’.
distorted t shirt fronts
feet buried
in concrete.
words swallowed
self-help pills.
In bronze.
Syntax torn
from lingering
roots.
#.
sold.
bright plastic
petrochemical packaging.
sacred phrases
fired from
relentless rifled lips
by those who would have sunk the nails in
(Then).
is called
(Was) ‘Revolutionary’.
distorted t shirt fronts
feet buried
in concrete.
words swallowed
self-help pills.
In bronze.
Syntax torn
from lingering
roots.
#.
sold.
bright plastic
petrochemical packaging.
sacred phrases
fired from
relentless rifled lips
by those who would have sunk the nails in
(Then).
Greg Baines, Untitled, acrylic on wood, 76cmx 76cm, 2019.
