March 2018

TEXTILES/WEAVING

I've finally completed weaving the "water" and now on to the beach/sand area. I enlarged the portion of the artwork so I could better follow the colours.

To make it easier to find the wool (colours) we wanted I spent an hour or so attaching a short piece of wool to each box and then organised all the boxes into their colour groups. It saved time when looking for a particular wool colour!

Textiles (weaving) 12 hours

Ordering and organising wool 2 hours

PLANNING/ORGANISING

I'm a bit ashamed as I only got around to filling out one of these weekly planners over March. I was preparing for my daughter's wedding in Tauranga on the 10 March, then after the wedding and returning home I was then focusing on getting  for my trip to Wellington. Excuses I know, but I am trying to discipline myself in writing done my goals and tasks for each day/week.

Planning/Organising 1 hour

  

TEACHING/ENCOURAGING OTHERS

Ricky and I worked on the rest of the crosses we'd started before Christmas. 

We also started another wooden assemblage for his Mum. Ricky's measuring, cutting, and screwing skills continue to improve with each project.

Mosaic work - 5 hours

3D Design/wooden assemblage - 5 hours

PRINTING IMAGES ON FABRIC USING INKJET PRINTER

I offered to make printed calico bags for a lady at work whose husband makes kauri puzzles. Along time ago I bought freezer paper with the intentions of printing on fabric with my printer so once I'd located that I cut out an A4 piece and ironed it on the back of a piece of calico. Care needs to be taken with cutting as any frayed edging can get caught in the printers' rollers.  Hans had a hand-drawn image which I scanned onto my laptop and edited it ready for printing. Unfortunately, despite my efforts to ensure clean cut edges, the fabric still jammed. I'm yet to retry printing it...

Textile printing 1 hour

3D DESIGN/SCULPTURE: WHALE TAIL

I've been itching for some time to do some carving and decided to sculpt a whale tail out of the piece of hebel. I find the process calming and soothing.

3D Sculpture 3 hours

PHOTOGRAPHY: 

I drove to Tauranga with my parents, who are 89 (Dad) and 80 (Mum)  for my daughter's wedding on the 10th of March. We stopped off at my Dad's sister's place for a cuppa and I snapped a few photos before we left as it may be the last time they see each. 

We stopped at Karangahake Gorge for lunch and I used the opportunity to capture some of the beautiful scenery on camera.

The day before the wedding we took a drive to Mt.Maunganui which is not far from Tauranga. We enjoyed a stroll along the beach-front which was only a stones-throw from the shops, cafes and apartments and the surf was spectacular and imposing! Here's a few of my photographs.

The morning of my daughter's wedding...

...it was a beautiful morning. While the bridal party was getting the hair an hair and makeup done, I snapped a few more photos.

The flowers...

...and the venue where the wedding and reception was being held was lovely!

Painting 4 hours

MORE PHOTOGRAPHY

 

 

 

Photography/editing 14 hours
Blogging 10 hours

CERAMICS

I continued to make soap dishes as they have been selling well. I also spent a couple of evenings glazing and looking on the internet for a boot pattern that I could use to make herb planters. I'm really keen to try pit firing now the weather has cooled down and have a stack of wood that I could use (hopefully before my Diploma concludes in May)

Ceramics: hand-building soap dishes 3 hours

hand-glazing bisque-fired pottery 3 hours

Internet research (design) 1 hour

I can't remember if it was a TLC student or someone else on Facebook but I came across the  YouTube video (below)  and I wanted to post it here on my blog so I could remember it for the future. Onta ware, Japan also spelled Onda, refers to a type of Japanese pottery produced in and around the village of Onta in Ōita Prefecture, Japan.  If I ever go Japan, I would definitely visit "Onta" 

The earth for the pottery is found in Onta in the mountains. It normally comes in the form of rocks and needs to be ground to a pulver. This is done by the usage of traditional water scoops or mills called kara-usu, which rely purely on the flow of the river. The wooden mills grind the earth into a powder, which is then washed and filtered multiple times to purify the material. It is then dried, sometimes over a large oven. 

The village is a tightly-knit community, with families of potters going back generations. The work such as the purification of the earth is done by women, while men are responsible for actually creating the wares. Pieces are never signed by an individual but only with the sign of the Onta village. This is to signify that the production of a single vessel was the combined work of the community, not just one person. 

Onta ware traditionally consists of utility vessels such as bowls, plates, and tea cups. The style is most often slipware.

l love the way they purify the mud (all by hand!) and the respect they have of the environment for generations to come. Amazing work, the connectivity and sustainability by not commercializing into industrial product which inspires me to view my soapmaking and papermaking in the same way.

October 2017

October was a busy month with a lot going on for me. As well as preparing for the Tapestry Opening mid-month and keeping up with my day-to-day responsibilities at work, I had my frail 89 year old father and mother to assist as while I was away at TLC in September/Wellington he'd had another fall. My parents live here in Whangarei and as I am the only remaining daughter living near them they needed extra support. That entailed trips to the doctors etc and eventually up to the hospital as we learned he has skin cancer - which was a bit of a shock for us all. I have done my best to juggle my art programme, work, family and home life as best as can and supporting my aging parents is important to me so I'm a little "behind" recording my creativity as a result, sorry!

The Community Tapestry Project 

After months of planning and preparation, we were finally ready for the official opening of the Community Tapestry Project. I had invited members of The WDC, who are our property landlords for the shop we lease and was delighted Sheryl Mai, our Mayor responded with an R.S.V.P to say she would love to attend. Sharon Morgan, the Deputy Mayor and patron for the community project was invited to do the "first stitch" on the tapestry. Both spoke about the benefits of creativity within the community and commended me on my concept. Included at the First Stitch Event were The Bach Committee members and those that did shop duties as they would be meeting, greeting and serving the public in conjunction to the tapestry project. It was a superb evening which I enjoyed photographing. The only thing I am disappointed about as I didn't record the event and I wished I had. Next time, though. You can read about our First Stitch Event HERE but I have included a few photos here as well. Click on photos to enlarge them.

"We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing"   ~Lousia May Alcott

Creativity Catch up over the holidays

PHOTOGRAPHY

My younger brother Ian, his partner Anita, her son
and their daughter came up from Christchurch for
a holiday between the 10th - 15th December. 

My older brother Mike, from Hamilton came up too

 so much of my time (off work) was spent with them

 and (of course) taking photos of our time together. 

We went up to A.H.Reed Park, which is an area of forest 

about 10 minute drive Northwest of the city, and of which 

accommodates a cluster of large native Kauri trees

The forest is a place I feel very peaceful.

It was a lovely way to spend time with my family

Looking back at the bridge we'd just crossed.

Sadly, the two or three photos I took of the Kauri trees didn't come

 out very well (I was having a few problems with my camera) but

I liked the bark texture and didn't realise this is what they look like.

Tree roots fascinate me as well - I see them as a deeply expansive and supportive system that reaches out in search of a collective meaning and understanding of the world around us and the world within us. A system that is continuously encountering challenges, obstacles, and brick walls. Yet a system remains persistent and strong enough to break through, grow, and change course of direction to keep moving outward. Roots grow from the heart of our internal beliefs, passions, and core values. They are part of a foundation and an essence of our being. One of the most profound things I’ve given great consideration and time exploring in my life are my ‘roots’  — core beliefs, core values, and my passions for life. Especially in relation to my physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual well-being.

The splendor of falling water 

My brother, Ian and niece, Trelise

My brothers partners son, Alex

Alex was very playful with the 

camera and a joy to photograph.

As well as the "posed" shots, I like

 to just observe through the lens.

And last but not least - a few more tree images

I just LOVE trees - they make

 me feel so at peace *heart*

Below - Reflections

Car mirror reflections of the setting sun

What I saw reflected in the mirror!

HARVESTING PLANT MATERIALS

The hot dry summer up north has meant my calendula's
 have flowered abundantly and I have harvested
 several bags of petals for my soap and salve making.

 I found it quite therapeutic separating
 the petals from the seed head.

As well as harvesting petals, I cut up
a load of flax for paper making

The summertime is the best time for drying the sheets
 of handmade paper quickly so I used the days not in The Bach
 gallery over January to make paper to stock up

I learned from last year that I need to spend the extra

time making paper in the summer - it takes way to long

 to dry over the winter!

ORGANISING/PLANNING AHEAD

I purchase a 2 door cabinet to better organise
all my creative projects - the plan for 2017
is to have improved systems in place so I
don't waste time trying to find things.

Sadly, upon opening I discovered damage to one of the corners so I had to get a replacement. That turned out to be a long drawn-out process as they didn't have any in stock and it needed to be freighted up from Auckland by truck. 

Cam no longer needs or wants his Year 13 Photography portfolio so I'll remove the photos and use the A1 card for my Wearable Arts creation. I am going to "be a story-book" this year and very excited about getting started. I've purchased some animal fibres/wool and plan to commence the felted tartan book cover shortly. I will make "mock-up" small samples first to practice the tartan technique before making the full-size cover.

As well as planning my Wearable Arts creation I've been working on my design for the next community tapestry but I might start a separate post for that as there's so much to write about.

POTTERY
After a short break over Christmas and early in the New Year I returned to the Reyburn Art Studio to spend a few hours each Thursday evening de-stressing from the days work.

I glazed and fired numbers 3-8

 along with a couple of other "leafy things"

I'm not entirely happy with the leaf arrangement and glazing effect but like the concept so will experiment more over the coming month. (Particularly with glazing techniques)

 Again - need to experiment with glazing techniques and probably should do what "the experts" do - make little sample tiles/record what different glazes do (I'm sure there is a proper term but I don't know the word!) I have got a book on glazing and must take another look at it now I'm up to exploring the process with better understanding. It's called "A Glaze of Colour" by Jane Davies.

Plus I also rolled out and cut the remaining numbers that for different reasons didn't make the bisque firing with the other numbers. Interestingly enough, I had a customer ask at work yesterday about house numbers (did The Bach have any?) and I said I was in the process of making some pottery ones. So, I have her email and will send photos. The number she wants is 30 so I need to get the zero bisque fired and glazed if she does want to buy them.

Photography: 3 hours (includes editing)
Planning/Organising: 1 hour
Pottery: 9 hours
Preparing Fibres/Harvesting plants: 2 hours