Pastimes During The Big Wet

My trip with Gina to the painting club at Otane Arts and Crafts yesterday had to be postponed due to the dreadful flooding in Hawkes Bay. Stuck inside I managed to do a wee bit more work on my art course between venturing outside to check on the animals and bring in firewood.

I have been busily reading my pile of library books one of which introduced me to the work of an artist I had never heard of before. Ilene Meyer would probably be classed as a fantasy artist as her work seems to exist in another realm. Self taught (that made me spit as she's so good) she is relatively unknown in her native US but a huge star in Japan. Her book "Paintings, Drawings and Perceptions" doesn't give you much idea of her working methods or philosophy but it does showcase a wonderful selection of her paintings. She should give masterclasses in oils.

My friend Tanya took some of my work up to The Beacon in Napier where she attends craft classes once a week. She sold the two cat brooches she took plus a pansy pendant with one lady reserving a Maine Coon cat pendant. She also got me an order for another necklace and a tentative one for a full canvas painting of a lady's dogs. Hopefully these will work out.

Carol Duvall and Exhibition Preparations

My friend Tanya and her daughter visited Friday and brought along a video of The Carol Duvall Show with demonstrations on making polymer clay dolls and pens. Very interesting to see what ideas people come up with. I like Carol Duvall who must be one of the most enthusiastic hosts on television. She seems genuinely interested in all her guests and you do get the feeling she goes home and tries some of the projects she features.

Tanya brought along a few projects of her own for me to look at. In particular a lovely mauve wire heart with a crystal which you hang in the window plus colourful envelopes which she makes herself. We're looking for items she can sell at the Waipukurau Markets when we both finally manage to attend.

One thing I miss is talking to other crafters and artists as you do feel as if you're working alone at the top of a mountain. That's why the Yahoo groups I belong to are so important as they give you feedback on your ideas.

Not that I've been painting that much. I have been laid low with a bad back or else the kidney infection has returned. Yesterday I veged on the sofa and tried to watch a Learning Connexion DVD on oil painting but kept falling asleep despite it being an interesting lecture.

I have however decided which paintings I am sending to the "Off The Brush" NZ Art Guild exhibition later this month. I measured out the size of the half panel I have paid for and laid six little paintings which hang in the kitchen on the floor with a 15cm gap between them. These completely took up the panel so it doesn't look like I need to paint any more pictures as I thought I would. For once I won't be working up to the last minute. Now I just have to make business cards and a gift for the Auckland artist who has adopted me and will be collecting my paintings and hanging them for me.

A Bit Of Fun

Get your visual DNA at Imagini. I'm a dreamer... surprise surprise!

The CWI Meeting. Well I did it! Maxine arrived at 1.30pm to pick me up and we spent ten minutes loading the car with my jewellery display stand and boxes of work. The meeting was held only ten minutes away in the Tikokino Community Hall and a couple of ladies came out to help us unload. They'd set up a large table near the door for me to put my stuff on and it only took a few minutes to set all this up.I'd just finished doing this when I heard someone mention my name and all 15 faces turned round as apparently I was meant to begin my talk. They all turned their chairs round so I could sit by the table and point items out to them. I muddled through speaking about EDS first and then talked about rock painting before explaining about painting jewellery. I finally showed them my paintings as well as speaking about my TLC course.

I'd also taken along the poetry book I had published when I was 19. Although it really only has poems I wrote between 14 and 16 people were still interested. All in all I sold $81.50 worth of stuff (cards were particularly popular) including two books, a pendant, two brooches etc. Eight people took business cards and a couple more asked me to keep things aside for them as they didn't have any money.I met a really lovely lady from England who moved to Tiko in January plus an old lady who apparently is great friends of my neighbour Irini across the road (the elderly woman who rides a motorbike). One of Maxine's friends was there and she has ordered a painting of her deceased donkey Solomon and has invited me to speak at her local CWI. Another person was an artist and I also met my landlady's German sister in law Gina. Gina is an artist and has offered to take me to the Otane Arts and Crafts meetings with her.

Afterwards the Tiko group gave me a box of ten jars of preserves (jams, chutney, pickles, fruit) as a thank you for speaking. They had laid on a wonderful afternoon tea with home baking. I could only manage one slice of a amazing nutty coconut biscuit. Maxine and I arrived home at 4.30pm so it was a long afternoon but I really enjoyed myself.

Preparations For "The Big Talk"

Only one day left before my talk at the Tikokino Country Women's Institute and I still have no idea what I'm meant to talk about! Maxine who has organized it has told me to take along my artwork and jewellery and she'll act as cashier (she wasn't joking). Apparently a reporter from the Central Hawkes Bay Mail will be at the meeting but hopefully she's focusing on another story and not mine.


Maxine also told me to print out some copies of previous work I've done, in particular this painting of a 1970 Ford Torino I did a few years ago. Up to now this has been my one and only attempt at a car. I was particularly happy that the chrome ended uplooking realistic. The woman who commissioned it was happy as well as it was her son's vehicle which he imported from the US although she didn't think she should pay me more than NZ $20.00 as she'd bought the canvas (at a cost of NZ $2.50!).


Donald Trump once said that he never knows what he'll say at a speech until he's in his car on the way to the meeting. Then he'll jot down a few notes and begin with a funny. He said in the end people don't want you to fail so you shouldn't worry that everyone's there judging you plus half of them aren't listening anyway as they're just waiting for the buffet afterwards. Now I'm starting to get nervous!

NZ Art Guild Flier

Hippie Cat No 2

I hugged the fireplace nearly all day yesterday as it was so bitterly cold but it meant I finished another small painting. This is another in my Hippie cat series. It measures 4"x4" on gallery wrapped canvas and can be hung right away without any framing. I have done it for an exhibition in August but decided to put it up for sale anyway at US $40.00

Portrait

The bad weather has finally arrived and it's freezing here. Good time to be stuck inside painting though. I have nearly completed another in my Hippie Cat series and am also doing more work on my TLC course. This is a pencil portrait I completed using the grid system. It certainly makes for a more accurate likeness. The hair drove me crazy.......

Menagerie Gets Massive Hits

Been getting major hits on The Menagerie and found they were coming from a blog entry on whipup.net and that the link was sent in by one of my online friends on zenafterhours It's amazing how kind people are with trying to help you out. Just pleased that I have revamped the site so it's easier to negotiate.

Finished another pendant yesterday which I am trying out on Trademe. Still stuck inside with the terrible gales (fourth day). The farmers in Hawkes Bay are now really suffering with the drought and this wind is just putting the icing on the cake as they have to watch dirt being blown into to the heavens. Most paddocks are empty of animals as they're sent to the freezing works as there is no feed for them to eat. Even if rain comes now it's too chilly for the grass to grow so it looks like being a meagre spring.

Site Revamp

Stuck inside as we're getting gusts of 130kms here- how the sheds are not taking off into the wild blue yonder is any one's guess.

I've done a major revamp of The Menagerie site after a friend told me it was too difficult to find anything. As I am selling all the books off I have followed her advice and put them all onto one page instead of divided into subject matter. The site is now half the size it was but hopefully I'll get twice the sales.

Finishing off some jewellery to put on Trademe to bring in some quick cash for vet bills. Was intending to do a craft fair tomorrow but still feeling under the weather so will have to leave it till next month yet again. I've hardly done any work in the past two weeks due to back pain which I think may be coming from my kidneys so looks like a trip to the doctor next week.

Otane Arts and Crafts Exhibition

It's been a tough week with one thing after another happening, especially with my cat Piper. Thursday after another trip to the vet my lift decided to hop along to the Otane Arts and Crafts as they were setting up for their four day exhibition over Queen's Birthday weekend. There are four clubs that share the building (an old school over 100 years old) including gardeners, painters, quilters and spinners. Maxine my driver belongs to the gardening club and introduced me to a couple of ladies who were setting up their sales tables in one of the four rooms being used for the exhibition. Amazing items for sale including intricate tiny leather bags as well as the more usual plants, lemon honey etc. The gardening room was also used to display the featured artists which included a sculptor, quilter and Richard Moorhead the painter.

Maxine made me a cup of tea and then took me across the hall to meet the lady who runs the painting club. Funnily enough she knew my name and it turned out she'd seen my work on the net. It truly is a small world. A great range of paintings displayed with landscapes and florals being very popular and the standard was high. Marie then opened a pair of french doors so I was able to get through to a room at the back displaying all the quilters' work. Amazing creations, especially a massive wildlife quilt in shades of brown and green with zebras and tigers. There were also plenty of country themed items for sale and all at reasonable prices. I wish I could sew properly!

The spinners and knitters room had a combination of yarn, knitted items and roving for sale. Recognised a few names including Waddle Inn which stocks my "stuff". Alpaca is really in at the moment and there were many scarves, jerseys and hats made of this. It does knit up beautifully. I felt quite inadequate after looking at all that work although my sister's knitting would hold its own there.

As we left more members were arriving for a 2pm official opening by the guy who runs the Electra Gallery. I felt very lucky I got to see everything without the crowds. The exhibition runs from 1 June- 4 June 2007.

No Go For Funding

I received the forms for an arts grant from the Central Hawkes Bay District Council late Monday with a deadline of 31st May. As I was wanting to mount an exhibition and this would have to be done locally I rang Creative Hastings for their input as to a venue etc. Lynn on the desk felt that the grant didn't cover solo artists but put me onto Bev who organizes the exhibitions at CH for her opinion. She was great and got me the phone number of one of the people who run Electra Gallery in Waipukurau as he'd know more than they would. I managed to ring Kevin late afternoon and he was immensely helpful. He said I wouldn't be eligible as the grant was used for projects that would benefit many people like a group exhibition. He did suggest though that I bring in some of my work when he's at Electra (on a Monday or Saturday) and if it's up to their standard they would sell it in the gallery. After selling two paintings though I would be required to become a member but this would bring me more opportunities as they hold several exhibitions throughout the year.

Finished off an order for two pendants- one a wolf and the other a horse (it's black and white so hasn't scanned in too clearly) so now able to concentrate on other work. Also finished off a landscape for my art course so onto more interesting projects there as well.

Melinda Doolittle and Other Stuff

The lady from the District Council rang back about the arts funding scheme and after speaking to me she feels I could be eligible for money to pay for an exhibition. Sounds like they can even help pay for materials. The only problem is the deadline for submissions is 31st May and I have to find a place to hold a show and I'm not really up with the galleries down this way. I think it might be an idea to ring Citizen's Advice and see if they have any ideas.

Yesterday I spent an hour getting jewellery ready to paint which involved wire, cutters/pliers and epoxy glue. Doesn't matter how careful I am I still have glue seeping out from the tubes and getting on everything. I did get four brooches and nine pendants ready plus mended a china horse Demelza knocked off the shelf.

And was anyone else shocked and angered that the immensely talented Melinda Doolittle was voted off American Idol? I assume all the Sanjaya voters turned their attentions to Blake. Melinda should have won but somehow I don't think her loss is going to harm her career. We're a week behind American in screening the show so the finale is only being screened tonight.

Funding in Central Hawkes Bay

I put some of my donkey cards up on Trademe a couple of nights ago and have a couple of watchers so hopefully they'll sell. I retail them myself for NZ $3.50 each which I think isn't too high. I tend to get a shock when I see the prices of cards in book stores as they seem terribly expensive.

A friend rang yesterday telling me about an article in the Central Hawkes Bay Mail about a scheme the local council has for funding art projects within the community. She was keen to ring the woman in charge and ask about it but I stalled as I wanted to read about it myself. Now of course I have to be the one who rings and I'm not good at that sort of thing. I was wondering if they would fund a solo exhibition? Well they can only say no so I'll bite the bullet and call.

The Patch and Cards For Sale

The managers of the NZ Art Guild have opened all the patches submitted for "Patchworks" the collaborative artwork we have all submitted to. There is a slide show showing all the member's submissions- it's amazing how many of us had similar ideas (especially regarding monarch butterflies). My idea came from something I once read. When soldiers liberated the concentration camps at the end of WWII they saw butterflies carved into the buildings. This was believed to be because of a Jewish belief that the soul is represented as a butterfly. I like the idea anyway and as the theme of Patchworks was Soul I incorporated the monarch into my design. The gold lettering is the Hebrew word Nephresh or soul.

Have also uploaded some of the art cards I sell onto one of my websites. There are cat , rabbit and donkey cards (the one shown on the latter page is my most popular item). Prices shown are in NZ dollars before postage. This week I had a couple of enquiries about them from overseas retailers so fingers crossed this works out.

Early May Work

Never got along to the craft fair in Waipukurau yesterday morning. Too cold and not enough stock to sell. I always berate myself that I don't have more stock in hand to take to these events- I usually work right up to the wire with deadlines. This week I finished two cat brooches and a pendant and have a wolf pendant half completed for an order.

Have sent in my entry for the NZ Art Guild's "Off The Brush" exhibit at the Bruce Mason Centre in Auckland in August. Have paid for a half panel which is about the size of my fridge door but as I usually paint in miniature that should work out.

With winter nearly upon us here I should find more time to paint when I'm stuck inside without outside distractions. I have been naughty going out with the neighbour down the road instead of working and this has to stop.

A Tale of Two Exhibitions

I have had some major thoughts recently one being that I should sell all the books and collectables from The Menagerie and concentrate on creating and selling my own animal themed work to sell. Much as I adore books they no longer sell well so once my current stock is sold it will not be replaced. I contacted Touchwood Books who have bought most of my farming titles so I spent yesterday deleting four pages from the website. At least I'll regain some space in the house and pay off some of my shifting bills.

Tuesday my neighbour Linda came over to say she was driving to Waipukurau to do some chores and ask if I'd like to come along. Spent a lovely morning having a cup of tea and scrummy lemon and ginger slice in the sun in the main street before I looked at an exhibition at the Electra Gallery. One painting that stood out for me was a huge landscape looking across farmland towards the Ruahine Ranges. The artist captured the drama which I see every morning.

Then yesterday I went to the Creative Hastings "Birds, Books and Bicycles" exhibition. CH holds an artist's challenge every year and it was interesting to see what people came up with. My favourite was a small work- a white canvas with a beautifully rendered male sparrow in the bottom left hand corner with a fake sparrow sitting on top of the canvas. Lyn told me it sold before they even opened the exhibition. Also good news that there was $28 there for me from the sale of 10 cards and they want more donkey ones. Picked up a newsletter from Electra Gallery while I was there and found local artists can join for $15 so that's on my to do list.

After I got home my cousin Elaine rang to say that there is going to be a craft market held in Waipukurau on the 12th May. She's sussing out more info and will get back to me. She is wanting to sell some of her knitting and was thinking I could sell my jewellery there. Just have to cadge a ride.

Folk Art Cat Stone For Sale

I'm trying to kick start myself back into painting regularly but without much success. However I did manage to complete a folk art stone painting I began a couple of months ago and post it up on Trademe. Not too sure what sort of breed it's meant to be as the tail is much too fluffy for a British Blue cat.

Abby Brooch and Library Withdrawals

Finally got back to painting this week completing the abyssinian cat on paua brooch that was ordered a while back. I love the abbys as they're so full of personality.

Legs are nearly falling off as I try to complete spinning 300 grams of chocolate brown alpaca for Fiberz which I want to send away tomorrow. I hope it's up to their standard- I am trying to spin as finely as I can.

Yesterday was my big day in town- I was getting library withdrawals as it had been six weeks since my last visit so I joined up with the Hastings Public Library. Being a new member meant I was only allowed to borrow three books but the young librarian informed me on my next visit I can borrow up to 50! It was like a treasure trove in there as it's much larger than Napier library and of course I haven't read most of the books there so I was in heaven. Came away with a book on Anna Sewell (who wrote Black Beauty), one on the artist who drew Rupert Bear and another called "Henrietta" written by a woman who was a life model posing for Lucien Freud amongst others before becoming a traveller in the later 1960s travelling Britain by horse drawn gypsy wagon. With the nights closing in and becoming chilly it's lovely to curl up with an interesting story.

Confusion

I haven't picked up a paintbrush for over two weeks now so must get back to work tomorrow. Been busy unpacking since the big shift and still haven't found everything. Have even lost my file box containing all my Learning Connexion lessons, feedback and study notes which was carefully brought out here in the car by my sister in law along with most of the breakables. She's coming in today to have a look and try to remember where she last saw it so fingers crossed she knows where it is as I've pulled every cupboard apart and can't find it. You'd think a decoupaged box with cats all over it would stand out a bit!

One piece of good news since I arrived is that I got the job spinning alpaca I applied for several weeks ago. Ended up spinning three samples before I got the yarn up to their standard (very fine, many twists per inch etc.) Currently spinning up 300 grams of chocolate alpaca from "Annabel" which has to be sent by Friday. Wish I could show a photo of my work but Blogger doesn't seem to show any of my pictures once I've uploaded them at the moment which I hope is a temporary glitch.