Two new pieces: Dream Lamp and Contemplation #2

Here are the latest two pieces I have been working on

Dream Lamp - shown in different lighting situations
15cm (6 inches) diameter

Contemplation #2
20cm (8 inches) diameter
extruded polymer

Polymer clay UV light fastness trial - after 6 months

I started this trial on 12 December 2021. Six months on, I looked at the tiles after cleaning off all the sticky residue from the black masking tape. There was slight yellowing of the exposed area on the white and purple tiles but this is not easy to see in the photo. The neutral tiles showed no noticable change to the colours but the varnish has attracted a lot of dust/dirt, so I would definitely not use varnish on items intended for outdooors.

Trial after 6 months

Two Sales in One Day

Today turned out to be a great day, I sold two mosaic pictures. My ‘Poppy’ mosaic that was part of the ANZAC display in the Whangamata Information Centre and ‘Aroha Nui’ (with after glow) from the Whangamata Club. I'm feeling elated 😊

Poppy

Aroha Nui

Orb Sculptures - slideshow

I put together this slideshow of orb sculptures created over the last ten years

Polymer clay UV light fastness trial - after 3 months

I started this trial on 12 December 2021. Three months on, I looked at the tiles. There was no change to the coloured tiles. On the neutral tiles, the varnish has attracted dust but there was no change to colours.

Neutral tiles after 3 months

2022 Big Arts Day Out/Harcourts Challenge - photos

Really pleased with how this weekend turned out. Here are some photos.

My stand in the Big Arts Day Out hall

My two entries for the Harcourts Challenge - this years theme: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Whangamata News 04.02.2022

 After waiting nervously over the last few weeks, so pleased this event is still going ahead. Can't wait!

A-Z & more - name claimed 24.01.2022

Having just found out that a big arts event over the Easter weekend has been cancelled due to Covid (Omicron) restrictions, I am thinking more and more about selling online. As an addition to my mosaics, which I still feel need to be seen in the flesh to appreciate, I have been thinking about making decorative letters, words and signs. I was going to try these out under the name WhangaCraft, at the local Sunday market in Whangamata (this small outdoor market is still likely to go ahead, as there would be less than 100 people there at any one time). 

However, for selling online, WhangaCraft does not convey what the product is, which is why I am now thinking of using the name 'A-Z & more'. The '& more' gives me the option to include anything else I fancy making along with the main idea of letters, words and signs.

Arts Collective Easter Open Studio Trail - CANCELLED

Today we received the news that New Zealand will go to 'Red' under the traffic light system for controlling Covid, as there are Omicron cases in the community. Consequently, the Whangamata Arts Collective announced that the Open Studio Trail over the Easter weekend will not go ahead. Now I am waiting nervously, hoping that the Harcourts Challenge/Big Arts Day Out event (4-6 February 2022) can still happen.

Big Arts Day Out and Harcourts Challenge - Waitangi Weekend 2022

This should be a great event over the Waitangi Weekend. I have two entries submitted for the Harcourts Challenge, this years theme is 'Looking Back, Looking Forward'. I will also have a stand in the other BADO hall, where I will be selling a selection of mosaics and Swirl-StoNZ.  In addition, I will be demonstrating how I make the Swirl-StoNZ, and selling $1 raffle tickets to win the picture below. The winning ticket will be drawn at 3.30pm, half an hour before the event closes, on Sunday 6 February 2022.