the /flowering japonica/ has the most beautiful red flowers in the
middle of the NZ winter , they are protected by vicious thorns -
2 extremes in one plant
nothing beats the scent of /stock /- you immerse yourself in the
seducing perfume as soon as you start walking down the path
/clivias/ and /azaleas /fill shady areas with so much vibrant colour
that there seems to be light coming out of the dark
A couple of new pieces will be entered in the 2009 Taranaki Art Awards,
held in Opunake NZ , 24th October to 7 th November 2009
both following on from my previous pieces under this years exhibition
theme of * natural earth*.
I am using a combination of harakeke, linen and hemp - some of the
toughest fibres on the planet to create
very subtle gentle forms with a conservation message.
Details and Images coming up on this website very soon.
New Zealand Flax / Harakeke is the base for these 2 pieces, a flax paper
bag and
a miniature shadow box with the title /tenderness - /created with some
thoughts about gentleness
and fragility.
NZ Flax is a very strong fibre and is an easily renewable source of
plant material.
For this paper I cut the long leafs into short pieces and boiled them before
straining them through a fine mesh. White paper needed to be bleached,
the bag has the natural colour.
Last Friday Helen Pick and I packed our installation in the back of my
station wagon . Despite rain and wind we travelled to Whangarei and hung
the /washing time line/ in the hall of Pompallier College. The
surroundings greatly influence the work and we gained yet another way of
looking at our pieces.
Kapa Haka practice during the setting up was a wonderful bonus and
brought the washerwoman alive.
The show can be seen there for 2 weeks until 28th of August.
more bracelets are added to the collection of textile ornaments.
One is woven from copper, linen and flax, with a silk lining -
the other one has a linen and copper base with a variety of
embelishments (next email)
…while the other one is woven from linen and copper with embelishments
the goat is happy again and gives enough milk for 2 cheeses every 3 days
exploring an old Pa Site during a recent visit to the Island of Waiheke
on a beautiful winters day
