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 

scary women

Well, given the choice, I wouldn't be inviting either of these women to tea, any time soon!

Interesting how different I can look (yes they are both me!) depending on mood, attitude and lighting.

I am intrigued by how challenging drawing from a mirror is compared to copying a photograph. Despite the fact neither really look that much like me (they are, after all a mirror image)- I like them, each captured an emotion in a way i think photos often struggle to do. What do you think?

underwater inspiration

I've been looking at the work of Jason de Caires Taylor. His has created underwater sculptures that seem to have a life of their own. I've been quite entranced and it's been a good source of inspiration for my pastels. Check him out.