remembering

Today was Anzac Day, and we did not get up very early, so no dawn parades here! At lunchtime we went for a wander around Queens Gardens and the Cathedral in Nelson to look at the wreaths laid at the war memorials.

World War I monument, Nelson Cathedral garden

Boer War monument, Queens Garden

The autumn colours were reflecting on the pond at Queens Gardens. The Gardens were started in 1887 in honour of Queen Victoria's 50th jubilee. The Boer War (1899-1902) Monument in Queen's Gardens was ordered from Italy, along with 45 others to go around New Zealand. We went to the memorial by the cathedral, which was erected after WWI, and couldn't remember where the WWII one was. Then on the drive home it dawned on me, it'll be the one at Anzac Park!

My favourite part of Queens Gardens is actually the newest - the Huangshi Chinese Gardens which were opened in 2007. The photos below were taken from the bridge that links the two part of the Gardens.We actually had our picnic lunch at the Japanese Miyazu Garden, so felt like we experienced a bit of Asia in Nelson today.

The ducks seem to realise that duck shooting season is about to start and that the safest place to be is here. I have great memories as a child coming here to feed the ducks. Now there is a sign saying it's not good for the ducks to be feed as they become dependent on handouts!

It's a bit strange having a day off in the middle of the week, so back to it tomorrow.

instagram love

Finally us plebs with android phones can get with it, and get Instagram! As soon as I heard this amazing news I downloaded the app and started clicking away on my phone.  We went down the West Coast for the weekend so there was plenty to click at.
 

 

Photos all taken at Barrytown:
1/ old shed 2/ looking north at beach 3/ window of Barrytown Hall 4/ Miss L on beach 5/ horses at beach 6&7/ my brother's cows 8&9/ Barrytown cemetery 10/ matai tree 11/ paddock with nikau palms

Although I have to admit once a photo has left my phone I'm not really sure what to do! I have managed to sync my Instagram with my computer so I can get the photos back! But that's about it. Lots of fun, and another great time waster.

Follow me if you like here!

wet and wordless wednesday

Very wet today. Photos from beach walk Easter Saturday morning and Tuesday's sunrise!

at "changing threads"

One of  my wall hangings "Yin and Yang" which I blogged about back here, was accepted for "Changing Threads" - the National Contemporary Fibre Art Awards. Which I was very pleased about, especially as only 40 pieces were chosen. The exhibition is on until 21 April, so I hope lots of people go and see it as it's a fantastic exhibition - very well curated and the prize winners really stood out.

"Yin and Yang" - needle felted recycled wool blankets.

Here was one of the category winners, "Buck Fever" by Matt Siwerski

The other category winners can be seen on the Changing Threads website.

beach roamings

I love going to the beach - especially by myself! I often try to pop down to the local beach (about 5 mins drive away) to recharge the batteries and look for treasures!

In the weekend I took the kids and a couple of their friends to Ruby Bay. The tide was out and we walked around the cliffs, and found banana passionfruit. Which they were so excited to find and eat, hence why there are no photos of them!

Then the kids had fun looking in the rock pools.

This shot is looking across the bay towards Nelson, the city and port are  in the middle, to their right is the cliffs above Rocks Road, which are currently having to be stabilised again due to the heavy rain we had a few months ago.

 I  found the variety of seaweed fascinating. Although looking at the photos they actually look a bit creepy and placenta-like!

 The following photos were taken a few days earlier, while I was walking by myself at Ruby Bay. Often the waves are gentle and just lap the shore, but that day they were rolling in at an angle and whacking down. I find all that energy exhilarating and one of the best ways to start the day (well it was actually about 9.30, after I had dropped the kids off at school.)

I spend alot of time thinking while walking and searching for rubbish. Have a wee scheme/plan I'm working on, will share when its finalised! The rubbish gets sorted into two bags as I walk - one for bin (ie the real rubbish); and one for my ever expanding collection of bits and pieces that I hope to give a new life someday!

a petite paquet arrived

Yesterday it rained, and when I got home from art group there was a slightly soggy petit paquet in my letterbox. Thankfully what was inside had survived it's journey all the way from Toronto to Mahana!

 Yes it was a small packet from Arounna of bookhou at home fame! And what was inside.....

 Yes it was one of her gorgeous zippered pouches made from the drop cloths from her fabric printing. I had seen that she was going to list some of these little beauties in her shop, at a certain time - which ended up being midday my time. This was actually my second choice, as the first one I tried to buy had already sold!

 And this is what I am using it for - to hold my scissors and thread, some felted woollen jumper scraps, which I am appliqueing parts of a London Underground tea towel onto to make my "End of the Line" brooches.

Which I have for sale in my Felt shop.  One of my aims this year is to start selling via Felt, which is a bit like a Kiwi version of Etsy. So I am ever so slowly listing things.  Think I need to get better at the old photography thing - but it was a weird light. Enough excuses I just need to retake the photos!

the frenzy - part 2 (and a giveaway)

Well I'm still having to paint up a storm. The trip away was not that successful, I didn't sell any paintings, only sold enough cards etc to cover the cost of the stand. I did get some good feedback on my new paintings, but also after staring at them for two days saw a few things that needed changing! So have made some changes, and still have 3 paintings to finish by Saturday, when I hang my solo exhibition "Forma Naturale".

detail of Naturale 1

 This painting was the first I started on and has probably seen the most changes. Take a look at it a month ago on this blog post. Since then it's been turned around and the trees are gone and are replaced by roots!

detail of Naturale 2

Molecular Landscape 2

If you are interested in seeing more of my paintings head over to my Facebook page where I'm having a giveaway of one of my circular oilstick paintings. To enter like my Facebook page.

Well I had better get down to the studio, after taking half a day to write my artist statement yesterday I'm a bit behind! Why is writing an artist statement so god damm hard?? But now I've done it feel that it is lending some direction in what I am doing. Although the hubby was a bit perplexed by it all! If you've interested here's a link to it.