Lino Cut

Lately I have been working with lino cuts, and finding the process very satisfying. Here is some progress:

The lino print. It is stained from the printing process but this does not affect future prints.

Area of fabric masked off, and painted black.

Test print. A glass plate was placed over the black area on the fabric and printed as a registration print.

Print on the fabric.

Masking tapes removed. It is working so far! Lots more to do yet.....

A Quandary....

Forty-five years ago as an engagement present, my mother-in-law-to-be sent from England to New Zealand, a Royal Albert afternoon tea set. For a wedding present she sent a full dinner service. All pieces arrived in excellent condition, were used with much pleasure, and have remained perfect over the years, until today, that is....

Last evening I had friends come around for a meal and on such occasions I always like to use this fine china. Following our lovely meal we had coffee using the afternoon tea set cups. I postponed washing them until this morning as they have gold detailing and can't be placed in the dish washer.

In returning the cups to the china cabinet, I lifted one of the other cups (fortunately not used last evening) and was amazed when the bottom fell off the cup and on to the saucer underneath with a clatter! I had not knocked it, I had simply lifted it by its handle, and the break was perfectly clean. Thank goodness I had not used that cup during last evening as it would have been dreadful to hand someone that cup with a hot drink in it.

My quandary now is, do I continue to use the remaining cups and risk this occurring again or, was it just one of those unfortunate happenings?

15 art galleries....

While in Auckland (following my Overlander train journey) I spent one and a half days visiting art galleries. The weather was perfect and ten of the galleries were part of ArtPrecinct which is a designated group of galleries located in one city block. The other five galleries were further afield. On the Friday afternoon I flew back to Wellington.

John Leech Gallery

Auckland City Art Gallery (temporary premises while renovations taking place in its usual home)

Tim Melville Gallery, FHE Gallery and Fingers (contemporary jewellery).

There was a wide selection of works on show. I am constantly amazed at creative people. Too many to report on of course but two 'struck a cord'.

The Auckland City Gallery had an exhibition titled Taste: Food and Feasting in Art. Everything imaginable was on display from traditional art to contemporary installations. One exhibit consisted of 100+ chocolate fish arranged to display the word KOHA (Maori word for gift). Viewers were invited to remove a fish and consume, in the spirit of Koha*.

The Tim Melville Gallery was shrouded in black cloth and a slide projector was the only item on display. In this slide projector were 'slides' made of pounamu (highly valued New Zealand greenstone) by Joe Sheehan. I am not talking conventional slides here, these had been carved out of the pounamu itself, and the projector light shone through each piece of stone projecting its colours and patterns on to the screen. It was fascinating interpreting each image. Amazing!

*Yes, I did.....but only because there were several gaps from that day's earlier visitors!