A cartoonist with some whacky stuff, whimiscal stuff and some quite nice philosophical moments as well.
I think I was about 15 when I came across Ramming the Shears - take on the Tom Robert's Shearing the Rams painting. That got me in!
Back page of the Saturday Age was read before the sport quite often.
Thanks for making my life better!
Robin Hood, Robin Hood,
You’d be napalmed in the wood,
I am very sad to say,
If you were alive today.
RIP Leunig :(
Do love "Ramming the shears" but i think my fav is "the new dog digs up the old dog". Such facial expressions with such simple artwork. Showed how even simple art can still portray/say so much. Plus this is somewhat a left of centre cartoon.
And I know little of his faith/spirituality but he he also put out a very simple "prayer" book that i thought was great.
Will be missed
He had a couple of prayer books - I think he was spiritual rather than religious.
I've got at least 15 of his books - A common Prayer and Prayer Tree and I think there's at least another.
His prayer for tomatoes is great (mine need them at the moment) but two of his poems have always fascinated me:
"Love one another and you will be happy. It is as simple and difficult as that. There is no other way"
and
"Come sit down beside me I said to myself, and although it doesn't make sense, I held my own hand as a small sign of trust and together I sat on the fence"
It was the selection not the author.