Julias TLC Art: Catching up plus Rarotonga trip

March creativity/travel & my hours

CREATIVITY WITH RICKY:

Ricky has been learning to knit (as per requested by his Mum)

He is knitting a scarf and doing really well at remembering what to do.

Creativity and multisensory integration benefits brain development - and working with Ricky is helping me to better understand cognitive functioning in myself.

3D SCULPTURE: HEBEL CARVING
We have started a carving project using soft-stone hebel block that is leftover from a block I purchased some time ago from one of The Bach artisans.

Ricky used lots of different skills - cutting the block with a saw

Drawing the design - andin keeping with
my nature theme I suggest a leaf.

Then we cut off the excess with the saw....

and using a file, shaped the edges to the pencil line.

Ricky found this a little challenging as he needed to apply a little pressure but not too much!

I found some images for detail inspiration..

..and opted to hollow out the centre.

Here's mine...

Next we "drilled" a hole through with a round carving file

..and another at the other end of the inset...

..and gradually filed it away.

Next we'll decide if we'll round the edges slightly and make an
upright stand for it or have it so it lies on a flat surface.

Ricky Time: Tutoring/Mentoring
8 hours total

3D Design/Felting
I've been researching suitable fabrics that I can use for my felted book cover. It's seems a bit of a waste to use expensive fabrics like silk as you are not going to see the fabric - it's purely to adhere the felted fibres to, so I googled cheap natural fabrics and discovered I can buy cotton gauze from Trade Me at a fraction of the price.

I purchased a 3m length to ensure I had enough for
experimentation plus the front, back and the spine

I prefelted some wool in two different colours. Then lay them over some unfelted wool on a small cut piece of gauze, which I lay on top of a piece of bubblewrap. I placed another piece of bubblewrap on top then rolled the layers up like a pinwheel and rolled them back and forth, first width ways then length ways until it had all felted together.

This was the end result. It works but I'm not really happy with the pattern so want to do a lot more experimentation with the plaid design.

Showing the back of the gauze.

A drum carder plus hand-carders I have on loan from an experienced local
felter and member of The Bach Sandra Thompson of Creative Get Up Designs

She has given me some tips and hints to help me with felting techniques

I'm really looking forward to having the time to play with this tool!

MARAE VISIT:

Heather (the now-nominated artist for the tapestry) and I went to meet with Solomon Tipene who is
Te Paetakawaenga Māori (Māori Relationships Manager at the Whangarei District Council on Friday the 10th of March. I wanted to discuss the concept for the first tapestry panel and ensure no cultural sensitivities were present in the artwork. It was also decided to include some maori patterns in the design preferably ones pertaining to local tribes and Solomon said he would organise for us to visit Porowini Marae to photograph some of the panels and design .

Solomon organised for us to visit that following Monday..

I took LOADS of photos!

I have to say it was pretty amazing!

Solomon (left) and Heather (right)

I'm not sure what panel patterns Heather plans on using and as she has not done any tapestries we run the risk of her opting for one that is too challenging to weave. Last I heard, she was stressing about "having" to get the design done - not my problem now!

Tapestry Project: 2 hours (Planning & Design/
Meeting with Councillor &Marae Visit)
2 hours (Photography & editing)

TRIP TO RAROTONGA

I was REALLY anxious leading up to our departure as it was

my first trip overseas but this was a really welcoming sight.

The first thing that hit me when we got off the plane was

THE HEAT.... It was 9.30 pm and stinking HOT!

After waiting in line for over an hour (I see now why people were rushing to get off the aircraft) we were greeted with a lei and our shuttle-ride to our resort - My friend Robyn had booked 5 nights at the Muri Beachcomber Resort.

We were both very grateful for the air-conditioning unit in the bedroom - it was the coolest place to be and made sleeping in 30 degree temps possible!

Our unit was self-contained so we planned a trip into the "city" (chief town) Avarua on the first day to purchase some food from the supermarket and have a look around the place. The resort provided breakfast and tea/coffee and milk but not lunch or dinner.

Upon our arrival, tropical flowers decorated our unit.

There was an extra bed in the lounge but we were more

than happy to share the bed in air-con bedroom!

There was a couple of stray cats at the resort. This little tabby called "Estelle" made herself at home with us.

Our unit was nestled among the palm trees and had a lovely sea view

It was pretty fantastic to wake up to this every morning!!

Every day tour boats filled with travelers made the trip out to take them snorkelling and to see the ocean life looking through the glass bottom. Robyn and I considered one of these tours but at $90 p/p and her fear of fish we decided to opt for an hour long massage, a treat both of us would benefit from (with neck/shoulder and back pain an ongoing issue for her and me)

The buses were rickety-old things. They reminded me of my school days! They drove around the perimeter of the island-one going clockwise and the other, anticlockwise. It was a great way to see the island and the whole trip takes approximately an hour.

Rarotonga is a volcanic island and the most popular place for tourists to visit. It has a population of over 10,000 and most work in the tourism industry in some way as that is the islands main source of income.

After some food shopping and looking for some souvenirs we went to get the bus from where it dropped us off and continued our sight-seeing trip around the island.

We had just passed the airstrip when the driver noted an incoming plane. He pulled over to the side of the road so we could all hang out the windows and take photos. I doubt that would happen here in New Zealand!!

A lot of people travelled around on scooters as they were very economical to use. I noticed helmets were not compulsory and neither were seatbelts. Mind you, the speed limit was 50kms/per hour with most driving about 30-40 kms/per hour. I guess that's where the term "Island Time" came from.

Back in our unit I started to feel very unwell, dizzy and my head was pounding. One of the staff on reception gave Robyn some electrolyte sachets for me to drink. Heat exhaustion must a common thing over there so after that I made sure I was constantly drinking to stay hydrated.

The Muri Night Markets were right next door to us.

We had a lot around to see what there was to eat for dinner but there wasn't much in the way of vegetarian food so ended up going across the road to a burger joint.

We discovered they made the BEST burgers ever!

Waiting patiently for our dinner!

I thought i should get Robyn to take a photo of me to prove I was there!

After a short wait - our burgers were ready.

They were massive but really good!

Every morning our housekeeper arrived to change our towels, mop the floor and provide our breakfast of cereal, toast and spreads for the next. We were also given fresh fruit - coconut, bananas, oranges and pawpaw. Robyn asked our housekeeper how to open the coconut - she showed us how it's done...with a shell!

Aere, our housekeeper used a shell to tap

and cut open around the middle..

..Ta Da - easy as!

Fresh fruit was a daily accompaniment to breakfast

..and the pawpaw was just the best!

Our resort gardens were very tranquil to meander in.

The swimming pool was used several times a day to cool off -

not that the water was cold, it was like swimming in a big bath!

The perimeter of the island was scattered with lots of little businesses that included rental cars and bikes, art galleries, eateries and souvenir shops.

In one gallery we looked in I was really taken by this painting by Maria File. As well as the rich colours I love the reflections in the water. There were prints available so I purchased a copy to take home. Below is a YouTube Clip about the artist.

In between the shops and galleries were lots of resorts and locals' houses

Most where very typical of accommodation you see here in New Zealand. Some had the "island touch" with a thatched roof like this one.

On Wednesday evening we met up with the bride and groom-to-be, the bride's daughter and her boyfriend to discuss the upcoming wedding ceremony on Saturday. I used the opportunity to take photos so they'd feel comfortable with a camera snapping photos of them on the day.

There I am - on the right!

The blushing bride and groom-to-be.

The bride-to-be and my friend, Robyn worked together until recently.

The setting sun - it was a lovely warm evening (about 30deg)

My good friend Robyn - we've known each other for almost 25 years!

The bride's daughter, Sarah

A foraging chook and her chicks. There were a lot of free-range animals on the island - cats, dogs and chooks. This little family visited us daily in the hope for food.

The day before the wedding, the "boys" went diving together (stag do activity) and us girls met up for a girls day out (hen's party?) Our first place we visited was a little studio called Rito Beauty Products.

Coconut was the main source of matrials for Rito's products which included moisturisers, body butters, oils (both cooking and topical) and soap.

An employee using a press to extract oil from coconuts

Seeing this process in action has inspired me to look into the option of purchasing a press but then I'd need the fruit (olives) to press for oil. Maybe in another life time!

My friend talking with the product owner of Rito - I purchase a small bottle of coconut oil for my daughter as she loves coconut products.

ART GALLERY VISIT

We visited The BCA Gallery - This historical building was once an LMS missionary school. These days it houses an art gallery, gift shop and courtyard cafe. Bergman Gallery evolved from its former incarnation as BCA Gallery which was established in 2001. Directed by Ben Bergman, Bergman Gallery represents artists from the Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand. Since 2001, BCA/Bergman Gallery have delivered over 100 projects including appearances at New York’s VOLTA Art Fair (2011,12,14), the Auckland Art Fair (2016) and numerous other projects in Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch.

After having a quick look around the gallery we headed into Avarua for more sightseeing and shopping.

A Flame Tree provides a bit of shade to a block of shops.

Very pretty against the blue sky!

We opted for look for a restaurant that overlooked the ocean for lunch.

As well as lots of resorts to accommodate tourists,

Rarotonga has many eateries!

My friend order a Pina Colada

but I stuck with a non-alcoholic tomato juice

Robyn and I shared pizza and "Island Fries"

The Island fries consisted of kumara, taro and a couple of other locally grown root vegetables (but I can't remember the names of them) I tried to, where possible, step out of my "eating comfort zone" and try something different!

On my way out of the restaurant I noticed a table by the door with some artwork. This Giant Clam caught my eye. The giant clam (Tridacna gigas), known as pā’ua in Cook Islands Māori, is a clam that is the largest living bivalve mollusk. I'm assuming it's a cast of the shell as it looked like it was plaster of paris (but I might be wrong)