Pigcasso

The "nearly news" section of Activate, a great weekly world news roundup to which I subscribe, had this fantastically silly item about a painting pig this week. His name is Smithfield. According to another news item, the Richmond, Virginia-based pig looked to art as a way to battle nasal cancer. Smithfield's story seems to have done the rounds of the tabloids and daytime talk shows. The Courier & Mail in Queensland, Australia posts a picture of the pig with a paintbrush sticking out of what looks like his snout. Looks painful. Makes me think of My Left Foot. I wonder if the animal rights people have gotten involved?

I leave you with what the Australian paper had to say about Smithfield on February 19:

The art world has been stunned by a pot-bellied pig that paints pictures. The pig has become a worldwide celebrity.

Smithfield's canvases of unique abstract expressionism are already in big demand even though art experts are unable to explain what they might mean.

Proud owner Fran Martin, 54, sells them for $A16 over the internet.

Ten-year-old Smithfield, who holds the paintbrush in his mouth, has now become a celebrity across America.

He trots out at charity events and appeared on Oprah Winfreys TV show.

Fran, from Virginia, said: "Smithfield is a very clever pig. He's done hundreds of paintings."

Scientists say pigs are colour blind.

But Fran reckons Smithfield can tell the difference.

She added: "He likes blue best. He definitely picks up the blue brush more frequently than any other."