My sketches of linguists will celebrate the Australian Linguistics Society 50th anniversary in the video presentation at the annual conference hosted by the Department of Linguistics in Sydney university where I studied. Graffiti are not bad in lectures that opened my door to art! Thank you, Lecturers, for your tolerance. Although an under-achiever, linguistics has enriched my life.
I've met many linguists working for endangered languages. Above, Prof Michael Walsh is the expert of Aboriginal people's languages. His moustaches and beards were very historical and impressive. Kind Michael always welcomed me in his office at Sydney uni.
I met a linguistic giant, all-round player and my super hero, Prof Anna Wierzbicka in a 2009 linguistics conference. Her deep and wide publications and research areas are really stunning...! This enthusiastic lady will never stop. Anna questions, "How can you explain astronomy, genetics, or ethics to children using words they understand; not only in Australia, but in other places” which is her recent research interest. Can we retell “Big stories of science and humanities in new and more intelligible ways"?
Anna's challenge is my always concern. I want to know the methods and really want to make it happen in picture books. I've chosen a universal language, drawing, not written words. I feel, wordless picture books are the right approach to tackle the issues addressed by Anna and my big interest. Wow, what a lovely linguist and lady Anna is!!
Once, I did volunteer work at ALS annual conferences, when I was at Sydney uni. During the conferences, we, students went out for coffee at a break. There was a market near to the uni. I could not help, but buy a big secondhand book, "Rembrandt" and held it tightly.... I was so happy with it!!! Other students teased at me, "Sadami gonna be a famous artist!" No!! I strongly denied it. I just loved Rembrandt's drawings and wanted to see his work at hand. In a shy manner, I looked down to the ground, holding the book on my chest. I had never, ever thought to be a visual artist. But I've become an artist. Unfortunately, the adjective, "famous" is inappropriate to me. That book silently stays in my studio. It reminds me of linguistics and uni days.... Once, I was an ALS member. I thank for lecturers who have encouraged me to be an artist and backed up me.
I hope the conference will go well from 4 to 7 December and participants will fully enjoy them all. I've loved linguistics and shared time with linguists. Honestly, their brain level is super-smart that amazes me, dunce! But linguistics has allowed me to think of life and society. Linguistics also has assists me to analyse texts given for illustration. Today, when I say, "My hobby is linguistics (sociolinguistics and syntax)," often people laugh. Me, too laugh, although I'm quite serious?! Hahaha.
Friends, don't forget, Happy Painting!
Australian Linguistics Society 50th Anniversary
