My display at the Big Arts Day Out - Waitangi Weekend 2021

Here is my display on the opening (Friday) night of the exhibition. I will be demonstrating how I make my Swirl-StoNZ throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. 

Exciting event coming up this Waitangi Weekend - 6 & 7 February 2021

 

In addition to my entry in the Harcourts Challenge, a sand painting titled 'Essence of Aotearoa', I will be having a space at the Big Arts Day Out showcasing my polymer clay mosaics and also demonstrating how I make my Swirl-StoNZ.

Exhibition entry gets a mention - Hauraki Coromandel Post 28.01.2021

 

The next Whangamata Arts Collective event is the Harcourts Challenge/Big Arts Day Out, over the Waitangi weekend, 5-7 February 2021. This years Harcourts Challenge theme is Aotearoa Inspired. My entry is titled 'Essence of Aotearoa' and it gets a mention in the local paper. Really looking forward to this event.

'Inspiration' featured in the Whangamata News

Had quite a surprise when I looked at the 9 October 2020 edition of the Whangamata News. My mosaic sphere 'Inspiration' was featured in an article about the recent Spring Mingle, organised by the Whangamata Arts Collective. 

Photos from the Spring Mingle

This event was very well attended. Lovely nibbles were handed round, as visitors viewed the art on display with a glass of wine, and various musicians played in the background.

New date for postponed Spring Mingle - 4 October 2020

Once again Covid-19 intervenes and this event has been rearranged for Sunday 4 October 2020. Unfortunately the original venue (Whangamata Golf Club) is not available, so it will be held in the restaurant of the Whangamata Club.

Midwinter Mingle has now become the Spring Mingle - New Date: Sunday 20 September 2020

Midwinter Mingle - Postponed due to Covid-19

Such a shame this event has been postponed due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Still, better safe than sorry - I guess we will just have to be patient.

Midwinter Mingle - Sunday 16 August 2020

I joined the Arts Collective Whangamata last year and this will be the first event since the Covid-19 Lockdown. Really looking forward to getting back into the art/craft scene. Due to continuing house renovations, I have not yet had time to create anything new. So, the piece I have chosen to exhibit at this event is my double** award winning dot mosaic sculpture titled 'Inspiration'. It is a piece that I am really proud of and I think it shows my skill and ability well. I will be very sad to see it go, if it sells, as it is one of my favourite dot mosaic sculptures so far. I will just have to try and make time to create more, as the ideas are all waiting in my head.

*2018 International Polymer Clay Awards: Applicant Artists Members Choice for Non-Functional Sculpture and Hanging Art
*2019 Annual Members Merit Awards, Estuary Arts Centre (Orewa): 3d Category

COVID-19 puts a halt on my creativity

What a day! After a sleepless night, with all the uncertainty about the impending control measures, got up at 5:00 am to drive from Whangamata back to Auckland. Thought it was was going to be a normal Monday at work but was only there for 2.5 hours when we made the decision to pack as much as we could in the car and drive back down to our house in Whangamata. This is where we need to be for the Lockdown and to be able to work from home.

Unfortunately, there was no time to pack the mosaic picture I was currently working on (spread all over my work table) or any of my polymer clay, tools and equipment. We had to give priority to food, kitchen equipment/utensils, clothes and toiletries.

Post Script: We have just gone in to May now and I am really missing not being able to use my polymer clay, instead I am having to concentrate on decorating the house, with the supplies that we already have. This is creativity of a different sort, which is fine and needs to be done, but most of the jobs are not quite finished because there is something that is needed that we cannot buy at present. So many artists seem to be making the most of the extra time at home during Lockdown, I feel I am missing out on an opportunity. It is really frustrating being separated from your creative materials and equipment but we should be re-united in less than 6 weeks now (the tenancy on the Auckland apartment we were renting expires on 17 June, so we will have to go back before then to remove the rest of our belongings).