September/October 2015

Gosh...it's been ages since I updated my blog! I've been struggling a bit over July/August. The end-of-winter always seems to drag on for me which hasn't helped either. My energy levels been been slowly increasing over the months and I've tried really hard not to stress about stuff. 

SOAP-MAKING:

 As per usual, I've been making soap until its coming out my ears! 

T.his big batch is kauri soap and for the Kauri Art Gallery in Dargaville. Cam and I took a trip over (driving experience for him) in late September/Early October to deliver an order of soap to them.

This kauri leaf dish caught my eye while Cam and I wandered around the gallery. I'm thinking of a leaf carving brief. I have a flat piece of oamaru stone that could work for this.

 I also continue to forage and harvest 

plant materials for my soap making.

 I'm really lucky I have friends with native

 trees on their property that are happy

to share their botanics with me 

 Tanekaha and Kahikatea (below)

There's always something happening in my 

soapmaking studio! (aka: laundry room)

 PRINTING/CARVING

 I've been working on a couple of woodcuts

 I need to organise going to Te Kowhai Print

studio at The Quarry to do some printing.

PAINTING/MURALS

Heather Carthew, a member from The BACH, Chairperson of the Committee and very involved with promotion of the Hundertwasser Arts Centre has been painting colourful murals (inspired by Hundertwasser art) for The Growers Market. 

I  went out to her place to give her a hand a few days.

As you can see they are pretty BIG panels!

It was my first time working with paint this size.

One of the finished (double) panels..

We still have a few more panels to complete but they are on hold over the summer as we learned Prosper Northland Trust are moving the painted container on Western Hills Drive to The Growers Market as a "pop-up" information centre.

I was so inspired by the mural painting I came home and worked an A2 sized piece based on a typical New Zealand countryside. I'm not as thrilled with it at the end as I was at the start but, oh well...just got to "let go" of my ideals and expectations and accept what is, is!

TAPESTRY

After much contemplation I have FINALLY finished my tapestry.

 I've backed it with a piece of felt which I have hand-sewn. 

Initally I thought I've have beads along the top of the fringe

 but after doing it, cut them all off almost immediately

 and went with a plain (longesh) fringe instead.

 I've also been work on the community tapestry when I can

and adding photos and updates on the Tapestry Blog.

Naoko working on the tapestry while 

I've been working at The BACH.

Papermill Exhibition:

The Paper Mill had an exhibition in the vacate shops adjacent to The I-Site Hub. As well as paper-making demonstrations there were items on display for purchase.

Some of the amazing things on display...

This one was my favourite though. I love the "feathers" and seeing this has reminded me about my brief idea using my handmade paper pulp to make a torso. Just not sure how to do it....
~o0o~

In early October I spent a week in Hamilton visiting my daughter, taking a break from work, domestic life and responsibilities. I took my camera with me and  used it to re-inspire me. We visited the Hamilton Zoo, the Gardens and the lake, the museum and art gallery (a similiar shop/gallery to The BACH).

 The Artspost building used to be the Hamilton Post Office.

 Some of the items for sales include tapestry leaves by Marilyn Rea-Menzies who will be involved in helping us finish off (cutting/hanging etc) the Whangarei Community Tapestry when we've completed the weaving.

Loved this "nest" of leaves...

 ..and this tree stained glass window on the back of a building.
(this would make a great tapestry!)

 A sculpture outside the Hamilton Museum.

I also made a point to call on Marilyn Rea-Menzies who is a tapestry weaver/artist and
she has a studio in Hamilton.

 She has made MANY tapestries over the years (35 years to be exact!) and her work is amazingly detailed. She showed me a book she's had made of all her works, alot of them commisioned pieces.

 I love the current piece she is working on.
There's such detail in her work!

It was really nice spending tme with her, dicussing tapestry
 weaving/design and just being creative, in general.

I decided too, while away in Hamilton that I would apply for the Oriel Hoskings Scholarship. It took a few weeks to decide  how i was going to put together my submission . Then right at the last minute I almost didn't send it off! (Doubting myself etc... But after all, what have I got to loose??? I'll know by the 23rd November if I've been successful or not.

~o0o~

Pottery, Weaving ..and new shelving

The past couple of weeks I've been doing some pottery 

crafts with Ricky, my home-schooled student. 

Our feet and a plaque with a verse

We've also been making leaf-shaped soap dishes as that's what I'm interested in trialing with my soaps as a gift idea and Ricki's mum was happy to have a few one for herself and some as gifts.

 

Plus, I revisited the idea of making books with hand-made paper and ceramic covers again. I can't remember if I have blogged about or not but I have a friend who has a kiln she no longer uses and she is gifting it to me! All I need is a trailer and a few strong young men to help get it to my house. I'm hoping my son, Cam (16) and my two nephews (22 and 20) will assist me with it here so I can use it.

With my little soap business expanding to supply 3 shops I was very happy to be the winning bidder on this shelving unit. It's pretty big and only JUST fit in my parents van but was a great score for only $30 ..plus it was a local seller. I'm looking to get some baskets to better make use of the shelving space as the soap needs to cure for a few weeks before it gets labeled and ready for selling.

 TAPESTRY/WEAVING
I attended the monthly weaving group mid August...

 There was a number of looms set up and Erin demonstrated double-sided weaving which totally bamboozled me! I had my pohutukawa tapestry with me so worked on that while the ladies
 discussed weaving and other things of interest to them. There's a retreat being organised in November so that was one of the topics they talked about.( I probably won't go as I'll be working)

 A few of the table looms

 And one of the projects a weaver had been working on.
She is planning to chop the 13 metre length up
 to sew into jackets

My pohutukawa tapestry is ALMOST finished. I've sewn up all the "slits" (areas where there's a vertical colour difference) and decided to add hills by embroidering some brown over the light blue wool, plus added the hem/border top and bottom. Naoko, the main weaver for the Whangarei Community Tapestry Project explain a couple of techniques for binding as I hadn't allowed enough warp for a lower fringe. She also suggested it could be made into a cushion but with all our animals I think I'll back it and hang it on the wall.

It was Daffodil Day yesterday and something I've been thinking of is designing and making a tapestry for the Cancer Society..or maybe I'll have to make a few,... one for Domain Lodge and one for Oncology at Auckland Hospital where I had Radiotherapy.

3D Sculpture - Koru

I've been working on the sides of my koru and can I just say, working with this stuff can be a little unforgiving and a lot frustrating! Needless to say, it's tuck away waiting for me to get re-inspired to continue working on it. Here's what happened...

 As you can see in the close up pics, some of the hebel

 has chipped away as I've been chiseling the grooves.

 Especially at the top were it's curved.

I phoned Heather, who works with Hebel and sells her carvings at The Bach. She suggested I send her some photos (which I did) and she gave me some ideas on how to fix the problem and also sent me a photo showing one way she turned "a mistake" into a feature. It was a bit daunting sharing my work with her (but i know it's important to get feedback) and she was really helpful. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with her suggestions.

Time Spent: 2.5 hours

An "Ink Corporated" Exhibition

Two of the print-makers that attended the Te Kowhai Print Workshop (that I went to last month) are currently holding an exhibition of their work at The Wilson Art Gallery on the NorthTec Campus here in Whangarei. I was invited to attend the opening and was really amazed at what they'd achieved as part of their Art's programme as Honour students. 

It certainly gave me a bit of an idea of what I'd need to attain 

should I continue onto the next part of the TLC Diploma

 course...and I'm not sure if I am up to it! 

Here some photos of the opening..

Below is Hamish (on right), he's one of the exhibitors

 and he took one of the printmaking workshops one week

 (I think "woodcuts" but can't really remember)

This is one of h's wood cuts..and he was working on

it during  my time at the Te Kowhai Print Workshop

These woodcuts are HUGE...as you can see by 

the size in comparison to the man standing next 

to the woodcut. On the right is the printed image.

These photo blocks (above) show how Martinus and 

Hamish took prints from their huge woodcuts.

Some more of their amazing prints...

 ...and a couple of the woodcuts. 

The detail was amazing!

I can only hope, with time and practice 

I'm able to produce this level of work!