Friday, November 5, 2010

Underway...

Things are underway on my latest piece and I have been putting down some background dye colours.

My wonderful brush 15cm / 6" wide - it seems to contain lots of power!

A couple of colours, fairly random at this point. The painting going over the masking tape. Colours blended with clear water after painting.

The addition of the gold looks a bit of a mess but these colours will be over-dyed eventually. Both these photos are still at an odd angle...

And a couple more photos from the Chatham Islands.

Mixed messages. Life's necessities!

The famous Chatham Islands Forget-me-not, unique to the Islands.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Seaside and other things...

Things are underway and I have made a start on my next piece. Just a little start, but things have to start somewhere. I made a throw-away line in my blog of October 15 after I had finished the previous piece Co-Existing. I wrote that I should consider a piece where existing is not cohesive, pleasurable and plenty. This stuck in my mind and while away in the Chatham Islands I re-visited the idea several times.

I decided to fracture the house symbol which I am using in this series and will take it on from there.

The house symbol marked out in masking tape. What can't be seen is that the fabric is divided into six squares and eventually I intend to cut this piece into these squares, emphasizing the feeling of separation.

Here I have 'fractured' the house. Both these photos are taken at an odd angle but they should give a good idea of what is happening.

And now more from Chatham Islands:

This photo shows Waitangi Port which is the main link between NZ and the Chatham Islands. It is their end of 'State Highway One' which takes three days by sea. A vital link for survival not only for supplies, but the shipping of sheep, cattle and fish to NZ.

A remote wharf at Owenga. Boats leave here for Pitt Island to the south. Barely populated Pitt Island does have an airfield, and this treacherous boat journey. What the photo doesn't show is the boat rising and falling on some pretty dramatic swell - I was pleased I wasn't on board!

Bird life is very special on the Chatham Islands. These rare oyster catchers, Torea, walked along the beach with me one morning.

The Basalt Columns which are of great significance to geologists and found only here in NZ, and I believe Ireland.