All that table and the New Year

Following my previous blog in which I showed a photo of my work table; this sits in the middle of my studio and was made by one of my boys many years ago when he started his furniture joinery apprenticeship. It is rather like an altar to me but for playing, not for praying, although there have been moments I have submitted a prayer in the hope that something will work! If this table could talk it would have a lot to say, about successes, failures and things in between. It is almost waist high (and I am tall) so that I never have to bend over, and I even stand while operating my sewing machine and serger. I always work/think better when on my feet. It becomes cluttered with the paraphernalia of current projects and every so often it gets a make over to start afresh. I consider it one of my most valued assets.

All blogs seem to have thoughts about the coming New Year, so here is my tuppence worth. I have never been too ambitious with New Year resolutions but have begun to recognise that I repeat the same 'mores' each year; namely, to produce more art; read, visit, view more art; attend more art house movies; more gardening, more exercise, more travel.

Also there is the love and friendship of family and friends; the more I travel the more I realise that everyone, anywhere in the world just wants peace, love, enough food, good health, warmth and shelter.

Let's hope we may all find this in 2010. My best wishes to everyone for a safe and creative 2010.

A progress image of latest piece. If this looks somewhat familiar it is because this is my third attempt at this piece! I need to get this 'right' as it may be a series I intend to pursue.

The Good and the Bad

It is now already a couple of days after Christmas and here in most of New Zealand it is a wet day. Not wanted of course by holiday makers and the like, but for those with an eye on their gardens, it is very welcome.

After the bustle of Christmas, it is lovely to wind back down again. I always find this time of the year to be very productive. I spend long hours working on the various projects I have on the go, and am usually rewarded with good outcomes. Today has been no exception. The weather being as it is there is no gardening or walking, so I just have to work on those projects, don't I! While one project involves waiting for things to dry, I move ahead with the other. What a (good) life!

However, it didn't start off too good. A very early visit to a local hardware store had me coming home spitting tacks. An accumulated list of requisites proved far to difficult to achieve - most items were not available or they didn't stock them! Grrrrrr... I shall try again next week!

My work table during today's activities:

Christmas Wishes....

I would like to send you all my very best wishes for a great Christmas, New Year celebrations and of course, a bumper 2010. This is always a great time for assessing where one has been, and where one would like to be in the coming year, and I hope everyone has positive thoughts about the year ahead. I also wish to thank you all for continuing to read this blog.

Here in New Zealand it is mid-summer, although summer has been rather slow in showing itself this year. It is annual holiday time as well so it can get rather frantic at times. We are very conscious of the dreadful weather in the northern hemisphere as it features in our TV news. Our thoughts are with you.

We are many hours ahead of most places due to the international date line wrapping around the east coast of New Zealand, so we will probably be winding up our Christmas Day when many of you will just be beginning.

I have now received the professional images from my exhibition and, as always, these are of far better quality than I can achieve with my own digital camera.

More progress....

More happenings on my latest piece... Do you recognise Frida Kahlo?

Completed lino print using a black textile pigment on the lino, and the edges scraped with a piece of cardboard.

Initial application of colour using fiber reactive dye which has the advantage of being transparent.

More colour added, some applied from the original lino cut (the borders) then direct painting of the fiber reactive dye. I have cropped the image to remove the blue masking tape.

More yet to do...

Overheard while visiting a local gallery, a teenager making the comment that "modern art has gone downhill"... Well, at least he had an opinion!

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!