Square Metre project

Hi Kat

the most important thing is the process best to select a diverse square metre , my memory is that a word or idea is to limiting and or prescriptive. this project works on the unexpected coming from the familiar or everyday. i suggest going with a square metre that is so familiar or benign . then begin with a series of observational drawings , colour and tonal analysis, then list all the materials you can observe and categorize them into natural , altered , manufactured, used, new, etc. then their function in local and other potential uses in other contexts.  more to follow later

cheers

David

Quadrant Gallery Ltd

Bracken Court

480 Moray Place

http://www.quadrantgallery.co.nz/

Square metre project ..more coming soon

Something I found on u-tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvO_8_Ch6lE

Chickens and flowers

found when gardening today

Venus in the dust

flowers for phili

my new chook off the nest

My Plan

in the coming week is to start showing and explaining what I am working on at the moment.
Also I am going to photograph and write about two projects; the one I am working on and one from Art school which I didn't complete called the 'Square metre project '. Its a tool for research, planning, and designing work. A really good starting point if and when you get 'stuck'.
PLUS I am going to photograph some of my friend studios which are just gorgeous and so inspiring.

I am asked all the time what I am doing at the moment..painting wise and the truth is..I started a painting the week before gary got diagnosed last year and I havnt touched it since. He has been my creative project and there hasn't been time for much else.The progression of treatment and care for Gaz has been very relentless. His body has been through the mill repeatedly.
The kids have been off school now for three months and have been in the house with friends and boyfriends in tow.Lots of gardening and house maintenance..christmas and lots of kind friends and
people.
So in the midst of all of that my ability to concentrate for long periods and achieve big works has been greatly reduced.

FIRST PROJECT
I have started Journalling. And its fun. I have always had a visual diary ever since I first started art studies..but the problem for me with this book is that I sketch out ideas for work or paintings and then I don't complete so it becomes accompanied by a small sense of failure.
Whereas with a journal each page becomes complete in itself and if something else comes from it well thats great but it doesn't matter.
I have found some good books and sites which I will post next with pictures from my journal, be warned they are very basic. I thought this was a good thing as I would like to teach this and encourage people to do it and I think it is good to see all levels and stages of progression.So I shall expose my soft underbelly in the next wee while..any comments and advice welcome. More on this soon and photos..yaahh.:-o


Seaton Rd news
Gary is coming through this week well. We have both been quite tired and it has been good to just puddle around. He has been on Dexamethazone post-chemo this time for longer and it has helped with sickness food and energy levels.
My new chicken has been behaving and having a wander out of her cage and nibbling grass with the other chooks. She is quite cute.The other one is still broody so will sort that soon.
Garage hopefully up in the next week or so,Gary and I getting excited about storage options in the house and yard and a new blip on the shed outside, for a studio space for me. Will free up inside coming into winter again when our house starts to feel smaller.
Zac back at school, girls start on monday..routine again..Very nice!

Rain

I am sitting at my computer and a memory of walking behind a waterfall  has appeared..I remembered we climbed up and in behind one when we went to the Angel falls in Venezuela.My spouting has micro trees in it and water is sheeting over the edge outside my studio window.The rain is lit in pieces as it falls by my lamp.
This rain has been relentless..days and days of it..The water table is rising ,I weeded today in a brief interlude of dry sky and pulled docks out of the ground with tap roots 20 and 30 cm long, intact.
As the rain started up again tonight and rain plopped through our tiles onto the carpet..Hones poem started up in my head.

   

 Rain         

I can hear you

making small holes

in the silence

rain

If I were deaf

the pores of my skin

would open to you

and shut

And I

should know you

by the lick of you

if I were blind

the something

special smell of you

when the sun cakes

the ground

the steady

drum-roll sound

you make

when the wind drops

But if I

should not hear

smell or feel or see

you

you would still

define me

disperse me

wash over me

rain

Hone Tuwhare 1922-2008

and I found this one by

Paula Green

Waitakere Rain

Ernest Hemingway found rain to be

made of knowledge, experience

wine oil salt vinegar quince

bed early mornings nights days the sea

men women dogs hill and rich valley

the appearance and disappearance of sense

or trains on curved and straight tracks, hence

love honour and dishonour, a scent of infinity.

In my city the rain you get

is made of massive kauri trees, the call of forest birds

howling dark oceans and mangroved creeks.

I taste constancy, memory and yet

there’s the watery departure of words

from the thunder-black sand at Te Henga Beach.

2nd day home

Gary doing much better this time..still very low,but good med's and more prepared. Raining buckets of water from the sky again tonight after a very hot day. I bought a new day bed for the veranda and gary got some good use out of it today..nice to get lots of fresh air.
And it just started raining harder....sounds like popcorn in a jar.

2rd Day Chemo

Gary coping better this time,using good strategies to get through this lot. The meds are more sorted as well and he is sleeping at night..so far we are feeling our way cautiously but I am feeling more encouraged.
Great having Zac home from parachute he loved it and especially liked Louis Giglio..so great he enjoyed a speaker as well as music. He's growing up.
Concrete slab is looking great..be great to see the walls go up woohoo.
Thats all for today folks ..am a little tired.

Concrete truck for Gaz

Portobello Flowers

Ari on her Bday wearing the marvelous Hat that Fay knitted

Red Admiral on Blue Agapanthas

Add caption

Portobello

A red admirals wings
on sky blue agapanthas
the stamens of a waxy lemon
coloured lily
wobbling with sea breeze
and bees on banks of dandelions.


Highlight for the day was cleaning out my sons schoolbag in prep for returning to school.He is away and back late tonight so no chance he was going to do it.
It resembled a ratty nest and smelt like blue cheese.
Low light was discovering the egg thief..My new chooky is an egg picker. I caught her with shell on her beak and yolk down her front. Hmmmm.
Lots of housework and washing today-getting ready for next round of chemo.

Koru 

Hana

and the animals were delighted