My Blanket

This is my Tracy Emin inspired Christchurch earthquake blanket.

Its single bed sized.

The white bits are printed emails I sent during the few days after the quake.

As usual my son hates it. Says its a boring subject (so over earthquakes mum), not enough swear words, Tracys are better etc. etc.

der......

quilting

I find quilting very reassuring, comforting. When in doubt ...quilt.

Since the earthquake, things have been very up and down, upside-down in fact. 

Here in Christchurch we call it the "new normal". 

This is the quilt that I've been working on. Its a community quilt, each square made by a different person, some photos, some poems. It's for a colleague. Hope she likes it.

Lucien Freud RIP

I love Luciens work and was really sad to hear he died last night. I have used his work as study material on several occasions and learnt heaps. Sad to think they'll be no more coming :(

These are my studies

Canada Geese

My son took this photo with his new camera. I think its stunning.

back to the grindstone

Getting back to NZ after an escape to Europe and have restarted my course. 

Back to reality.

I have the opportunity to exhibit in early September, so I have framed up my watercolour on fabric MRI brain/walnut and my little sketch of the girl in Cancun. I think they look quite nice. I shall put a price on them and give the profit to an earthquake charity.

long time gone

Took a walk in to Christchurch the weekend...

Its not all bad however, the Basilica looks like it's been carefully deconstructed and will be rebuilt. Funny I spent a couple of hours in there in August, just wandering around, it had fantastic sculptures and stained glass inside and now it's so damaged...

wild crazy dancing dog

Crazy stuff happening since the last post, earthquakes, tsunamis, its all too much.

Just as well the animals are behaving normally!

I thought I could see some parallels here with Frank (my dog) and my posemaniac sketches!

Once things have calmed down I'll get back to more creative pastimes!

people, things, thoughts

My blogs been pretty quiet recently, Christmas and things have sapped my energy and only now as we settle back to the routine of school terms am I finding the desire to do stuff is returning.

I've read a lot, lots of books.

I've thought a lot, about people, thoughts, energy.

On the course I've changed to working to a brief and I thought I would explore "connections" between people, humans, societies.

Started off doing some fabric painting and posemaniac figures, soon ran into trouble with fabric puckering, colours running. Thanks to those of you more skilled in the material arts for putting me right on a few basics.

I had a go at image transfer too

and finally did some watercolour brain MRIs. 

Jerry thought they looked like blue walnuts- which they do!

I guess it depends where you're coming from!

Waiheke Island

Just come back from a weekend in Auckland, got taken to Waiheke Island for the Sculpture exhibition. Somewhere I've always wanted to go, thank you Frans and Maria!

Below are some photos

 The ferry crossing, Rangitoto island in the background

 Cheeky Moa- Chris Meder

 cicada!

 French Knitting

 Barebottom land

 cabbage trees

 Collapse- Fletcher Vaughan

 Prodigal Child -Paul Radford

 Washed up on Waiheke- David McCraken

 solar powered rowing boat- Marcel Grosse

 oversized coffee cup- just right for NZ!

 my favourite- Pacific Radiolaria- Virginia King

 path down to beach

tree bark

Auckland at night

Stewart Island

We've just returned from a week in Stewart Island, New Zealands third biggest island. Its a wild and windswept place, not so many predators there so more birds and predator free reserve on some of its' smaller islands. Wonderful scenery and wildlife.

 

 This is just south of Oamaru

Oamaru sheep 

Thicket in Ulva Island 

Windswept trees on the Raikura Track

Oban harbour

lichen mossy stuff. Ulva Island

Huge washed up kelps, Lee Bay, Stewart Island 

Shags

Gull

Oyster Catcher 

 Black Robin

Yellow eyed penguin

 Flax or harakeke

Fur seals