Grayness

Well since we arrived home on Sunday night there has been nothing but grayness and rain. Shouldn't complain too much at least we have not had floods or tornadoes like the North Island. Had a semi-productive day at art group today. Started a small canvas to give to the Left Bank Art Gallery for their annual fundraiser. (If you scroll down on the link, my painting from last year is 3rd row from bottom in the centre). Actually wished I had taken my camera to Mapua as the trees in the fog on the field next to the hall did look rather beautiful, in a gray sort of a way.

Instead found more photos I forgot to post from last Thursday on our way to Barrytown. We only had one stop, at Fox River. It was lovely, except for when the resident sandflies found us, and started to bite!

Miss L taking a photo of the gap in the peninsula where you can see right through.

There were quite a gaggle of black oystercatchers

 Well here's hoping that the grayness will soon abate, and we can have autumn back.

Term 2 begins

Today the kids went back to school, after two weeks of holidays. The boy turned 11 on the first day of the holidays and we gave him an ipod Touch. After he'd had a downloading frenzy it killed our monthly broadband allocation, so were on dial-up speed for a week! Which makes writing or reading blogs impossible!! But thankfully Trademe was still possible, as I've been having great sales cleaning out cupboards and the garage before we move. Speaking of which the house is still for sale, and winter is coming ........

Here's a few photos from the last two weeks.

 First stop was the seaside village of Mapua, which at the moment is 20 minutes drive away, but when we move will be 5 minutes away! The kids and I went fishing on the wharf with my aunt and uncle who stayed with us for 2 nights.

One of my favourite shops is the Mapua Country Trading Co. It is packed full of simple, practical, gorgeous things for garden and kitchen.

We managed to have a short break away down the West Coast at the brother's farm.

The hubby and I had some time together at Cobden Beach, I searched for driftwood suitable for painting on, and we both enjoyed the balmy warm weather.

And yes we did watch THE WEDDING! Had a wee party instigated by my 4 year old niece, and us adults stayed up and watched it until they arrived at Buckingham Palace. We had to wait until the morning for the repeat showing to see the kiss!

The Urban Cake Lady

A couple of weeks ago some very cool urban art appeared on the side of a footbridge which caused a bit of a scandal in Nelson, as the councillors of that fair city debated what to do with it. Thankfully they realised it was art and not graffiti and it was not removed. Now I have never lived in the fair city of Nelson, just in the glorious province, so I do not know every nook and cranny of the place. Thankfully a friend had found the piece by the artist known as the Urban Cake Lady, and she lead us to it the other day.  First I had to take a photo of the swan preening himself on a rock on the banks of the Maitai River. 

So when I take my brother and his family (who are staying with us for the weekend, yeah!) into the city after showing them my painting hanging at the Suter Art Gallery, we will go and check out Riverside Critters as well!

Randomness

 

Just a few photos that I had on the camera. The ones above are from the last night of daylight savings, so we went to the beach. Amazing LONGGGGG shadows.

These were taken during a "lunch" meeting with four fellow artists/friends. We are having a joint exhibition in August, and were supposed to be discussing the title/theme of our exhibition. It was hard to think about such serious things, we had a nice bottle of Pinot Gris, a good old chatter and giggle. I love seeing all the vines draped in the bird netting - it's like monster spiders have spun webs everywhere. The vineyard owner has an amazing sculpture collection, the one above looks like giant matchsticks, it is called "Totems for a Vineyard". These is also an art gallery, a lovely place to stop.

Getting there

Today is going to be a big one. Going unconditional on the new house, as some other people thought they might like it to, and that isn't on! Total crazy without selling ours, but the lovely bank manager was so kind and said yes to the bridging finance! Yikes!! In 60 days time it will be all on. Have a few contingencies up our sleeves, including me having to go and actually get paid to work! The indignity of it, it's a bummer being an artist sometimes!

So speaking of art, finally I am putting a painting on my blog! Sorry the photo is not good, my excuse is I didn't take it. Dropped it off at the framer last week and in such a hurry forgot to take a snap of it without the glass in. He said he'd do it for me, and I assumed that a picture framer could actually take a decent photo, including use high resolution. But no ..... oh well shouldn't complain too much as he kindly framed it for FREE! I usually frame them myself (at a great weekend course that runs once a term) and use a black moulding, but last time I had to get James the picture framer to do something for me as there wasn't a course on before my exhibition, and he said he thought white mouldings would look better, and he'd do one for free! So here it is, think I'll call it "Mapping it Out". It's off to the Autumn exhibition at the Suter Art Gallery today.

Mapping it Out

Now I'll add some of the other road series paintings I did recently. They are mainly acrylic paint on this paper that I got at the recycling centre. Two huge rolls of the stuff which has been used somewhere for screen printing shirts as there are shirt shaped pieces all over it, and the printing is backwards. In the painting above there isn't much of the under printed stuff visible like in some of the others. I then use paint markers to draw on the roads, road signs etc.

Giving Way

Fences

Left Turn

Gentle Bend

Crossroads

 In "Crossroads" you can see the printing that was originally on the paper more clearly. This was the first painting I did in this style. Not really sure where it all came from, because apart from the colour palette and the subject matter (ie landscapes and road signs) I've never done any other work like this. It was a mixture of free and quick painting, and the slower more considered drawing, which I also like to do.

Hanging in the exhibition "From Here to There"

Hanging in the exhibition "From Here to There"

Now you can see the problem with taking photos of my work once it's behind glass! And can compare the black to the white moulding, I'm still not sure which I prefer.

Well the family is all about to wake, the day has dawned, and I'd better hop to it!

Walking into sunshine

These photos weren't taken today - it was raining. I took the camera with me last week while walking the kids to school. The sun was very low and shining into our eyes all the way. I love how with a digital camera you can take photos looking at the sun, breaking all the rules!

If you look hard there are some red oak leaves amongst the rays of sunshine, autumn is approaching fast.

Those aren't real seagulls on the roof of the Beach Club, we are about 15 minute away from the beach! When we first moved here I though the Beach Club was a naturalist's club or something similar - well it is behind a very high fence and you can't see in. It's also next door to the kindergarten! Actually its where they play beach volleyball, so nothing interesting going on behind the fence after all.

Still here ......

Well it's April, and daylight savings has just ended, the days are shorter, and the nights are cooler - but we are still having lovely hot days, the kind you need to have two separate changes of clothes in one day. I've been busy not blogging! or painting!!! My excuse is that we've put the house on the market, and as we have had an offer accepted on another property that is conditional on selling this one in a VERY short time, it's all go. I had to shift mountains of stuff to the shed and garage, clean, get the painter and window cleaner in, garden, etc. But it's been worth all the hard work, the house looks so amazing I wonder why we are going to leave it after 6 years.

The "retro" sitting room

china cabinet in the hall, that's one of my paintings

sideboard made by hubby, paintings are not mine!

old trunk on veranda

quinces from our tree

Another open home today, so more cleaning required! This week I NEED to get a painting finished for the autumn exhibition at the Suter, plus get it framed. I've finished at the gallery, so no more Art@203 for me. So I will be disciplined and paint Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No excuses!