21/22 Sculpture Trail

 

Reservoirs by Richard Mathieson

Brise Soleil (after Jane Drew) by Natalie Guy

Atua Wahine  - Indigenous Clay Artists Collective

Fragile Tree, Fragile Future by Lynden Over & Christine Robb

Operation Ranch Hand by Bernie Harfleet & Turtle Sarten

Flowers of the Chaste Tree

Miss B and I visited the Auckland Botanic Gardens and wandered part of the Sculpture Trail.  We definitely didn't see all of it, it was just way too hot.  These are some of my favourite sclptures and flowers that I saw.

Weekending

Saint Andrea Corsini c1630 by Geurcino.  Bullet holes courtesy of  a soldier in 1944.

Maffeo Barnerini c1597 by Caravaggio

Progress

• We had a wind free day, so I managed to get a group shot of all 32 Ice Cream Soda Blossoms.

Reading:

• Tin Man by Sarah Winman, a  charming bittersweet novel of love, life and friendship, that's easy to read.

Making

• Colourful stitches on felt for my Christmas decorations - pattern from mmmcrafts

In the Garden

• My lemon tree is just covered in clusters of buds, they'll be opening properly and perfuming the air soon.  Looking forward to lots of lemons for baking and summer G & Ts.

City Tripping

• Miss B and I went into the city, to see The Corsini Collection at Auckland Art Gallery.  Beautiful portraits and pictures from the Corsini Family focusing on the Renaissance times.  The colours and workmanship was amazing, as were the personal family stories relating to the portraits.  Many of the frames were just as impressive.

Hoping you have all had a lovely weekend and have a fabulous week ahead.

Scenes from my Week

From the sewing room

•  the scrappy sampler quilt top is finished, and I feel a lot happier about it, in fact I would even say I like it.  Now I just need to find or make suitable backing fabric and turn it into a quilt. 

From the garden

• my zinnias are starting to bloom - I love the colours and having fresh flowers to pick for the house

From the artist

• Miss B decided to immortalise those zinnias in water colour - she has done a wonderful job too.

From the broken house (proof that my house and life is not picture perfect)

• the downside of living close to a golf course - it has now been fixed and  thankfully, at no cost to us
• more repairs after the hot water cylinder leaked yet again - the builder has now finished his part, just the tiles to be relaid now.

From the kitchen

• Courgette/Zucchini Cake from Digby Law's Vegetable Cookbook or here.  Note:  My recipe in the book used 1 cup of oil, the recipe I have linked to uses 1/2 cup.

From the book pile

• I really enjoyed this book.  A rediscovered art masterpiece, lots of interesting characters, some history and a smidgen of romance.

What has happened in your week? Have you read any new and interesting books lately?  Is any one on GoodReads?

Auckland Art Gallery

part of Paradiso by Imants Tiller 1994

Woven date palm feathers - Hou Angiangi by Maureen Lander

The old circular stair case

MMM - My Mu"umu"u Mamas by Ani O'Neill

This Spanish chest and the art  dated from the 15th century

Sea Holly No. 1  c1949 by Eileen Mayo

Tree of Knowledge  1938  by Eileen Agar

Industry 1936 by  John Weeks

MacKelvie Gallery Pilasters - rediscovered during Gallery redevelopment 2008-11, after being enclosed by building additions

Whangai 2  by Arnold Manaaki Wilson 1984

Currently it is the school holidays in New Zealand, I am certainly enjoying not having the morning grumps to get Miss B and Mr J ready in time to catch the bus, and the odd sleep in.

Today we caught the train into the city and visited the Auckland Art Gallery.  I last visited an exhibition here when I was 14, so this was something new for me too.

There were certainly lots of different paintings, photography and sculptures to look at.  Certain types of artwork caused slight differences of opinion  - which made for interesting listening.  I did have to laugh though, as we entered the section with all the 15/16th century paintings complete with ornate frames, Mr J comments. "... some real art now"   Mr J and I really liked the painting 'Industry', you could almost feel the heat coming off the painted molten metal. There was also an interactive section called Wavelength - here you see us striking poses for coloured shadows.

Mr J certainly wasn't as interested as Miss B, so I suspect there may be a mother/daughter excursion in the future for us.

Weekending

 

Woohoo - normal transmission has resumed.  I have worked out how to get photos from my camera to the computer.  So much quicker on this new computer too.

Anyway what has been happening this weekend.

• Sewing - no surprise there, however I have finished up all the envelopes required for my SWAK swap partners for the year.  Just the little stamps to make now. I have also finished my other swap projects, they just need to be photographed and packaged, then they are ready for postage - separate posts to follow on those items. This will free up time for working on Mr J's quilt, and some important Chrisitmas sewing that must be done!!!
• In the garden  - this year my celery is so plentiful and healthy looking.  I am wondering if it is because we are having a much milder winter than usual.  The same can not be said for my spinach, which has been pulled out, because it had turned into caterpillar city, which I guess, is the downside of a warmer winter.
• Loving the delicate flowers on my Jade plants - this one is especially lovely with it's bright golden leaves.
• My lovely pile of quilting books and a favourite magazine, which I have enjoyed browsing through while lazing in bed these past two mornings.

Hoping you have all had a fabulous weekend.

Pinspired

One of the benefits of not having my sewing machine for a couple of weeks,  was remembering that I used to do a lot of other crafty creative things and doing some of them again. The other day wanting to create something, I browsed my pinterest boards for inspiration, and came across this image.  I knew that I had bought a lot of little canvas boards, so I pulled them out, found my test posts of paint, rummaged through my craft supplies for coloured paper, heart embellishments, lace and old clothing tags.  A few a hours later, I have my version of a multi heart artwork. Currently displayed on a mini easel. on my sideboard. I think that once a month I will make myself create something from my pinterest boards - whether it be something sewn, cooked or arty, to keep my creative mojo inspired and challenged.

What have you made from your pinterest boards?