rhetorical pens

Stumbled across this blog this morning and was stunned by the photographs. Check out Clare Woods’ fantastic exhibition – Unquiet Head! And the photographs of England! I wish I was there…

http://rhetoricalpens.wordpress.com/

‘Only connect!’ – E.M Forster

Raglan Art Trail Open Studio Weekend

Saturday 28th January – Monday 30th January 10.00am – 4.00pm

SUSAN FLIGHT Artist, sculptor in clay, tutor Mountain Dreaming Arts Workshop, 142 Waimaunga Rd. Raglan

A three day Open Studio Weekend over Auckland Anniversary weekend (January 28th – 30th 2012), where the artists open up their studios to the public. Included within the Raglan Art Trail Guide are maps of Raglan and its surrounding area showing the locations of the various artists involved in this event, making it easy to plan your visits for each day.

The artists will have a range of their work on display and available for purchase, and will be happy to discuss their thoughts and processes with you. So an ideal time to explore a wide variety of art forms, meet your favourite artists or discover new ones.

Outside of this weekend, artists can be contacted directly to arrange a visit – you can find their contact details under their listing in the Art Trail Guide. Also within the Guide are details of galleries and designer stores, accommodation, cafés and a range of alternative activities that would suit all the family – making Raglan an ideal destination for a weekend or holiday, or
even just for a day!

Copies of the Guide can be found at Raglan i-Site, Raglan Old School Arts Centre, Raglan cafés and galleries and at many other outlets throughout the Waikato and Auckland areas.

Access the Guide on-line: http://raglanartscentre.co.nz/rfoa.htm

All open studios will be easily located with a pink and turquoise flag!

http://raglanartscentre.co.nz/

Office is open every Monday and Wednesday 10am-2pm
Become a fan of the Raglan Old School Arts Centre: FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/raglanoldschoolartscentre

The Sitting Trio – tonight on TVN7

“Before the invention of photography, sitting for a portrait was a mark of status and achievement – famous people had their portraits painted for the generations that followed.

The Sitting is a series of short “portrait” shows celebrating well known New Zealanders and revealing little known facts about these people we think we know so well.

A famous New Zealander from the world of the arts or the media is invited to The Sitting.

In our studio gallery, Stephen “Marty” Welch, a highly acclaimed up-and-coming New Zealand portrait artist, captures the essence of each famous subject on canvas.

While he’s sketching and painting, Marty engages his subject in conversation, exploring his or her past and discovering new information about the person.

As Marty and the sitter go to work, colours, tone and stroke take shape and begin to form an extraordinary and convincing portrait as viewers get the chance to take a closer look at a famous face in a process that will reveal some surprises.

This 18-part television series has been created to provide a unique insight into some of the most interesting, revered and emerging talent in New Zealand today. 

A charming blend of well-known Kiwi personalities take part in the series, including, actors Ian Mune, Michelle Ang, Jacob Rajan and Lucy Lawless, Sudanese refugee-turned-model Sunday Holiday, drag artist Buckwheat, colorful comedienne Jan Maree, presenters Kevin Milne, Russell Brown and Finlay MacDonald, broadcasters Mike Hosking, Iain Stables and Pam Corkery, infomercial queen Suzanne Paul, director Sima Urale and musicians Tiki Taane, Luke Thompson and Tau Manukia.”

It seems to be a repeat of a 2008 series, but watch tonight on TVN7 at 9.00pm – enjoying this station’s art programmes!

Art since Antiquity

I have just enrolled for my next Art History paper at Auckland University, and I can’t wait for March to come round. It’s called ‘Images and Ideas: Art since Antiquity’. And it is a ‘survey of art periods that have been the foundation of western art and architecture. It provides knowledge of important art developments across the ages in their socio-historical context, including periods such as ancient and medieval art.

Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring

The course also offers the close study of some key works which will be studied in detail. These studies will range across different periods and disciplines, including the Great Sphinx and pyramid of Khafra at Giza; the Parthenon, Athens; the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Chartres; Giotto’s frescoes in the Arena Chapel, Padua; Leonardo’s Last Supper; Bernini’s Ecstasy of St Teresa; Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring; Watteau’s Embarkation for Cythera; Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People; Constable’s Haywain.’

Sounds excellent. I have the reading list already so will try and collect some of those books second-hand over the next two months. The lecturer is Professor Elizabeth Rankin. Exciting stuff.

Entre’acte

Tina Frantzen’s solo show “Entre’acte” at the Satellite Gallery in St Benedicts St, Newton.

The opening is on Tuesday 13th December and the exhibition runs until Saturday 24th December.   Since she began painting six years ago, Tina Frantzen has been exhibiting consistently and has had three solo shows previously at Satellite Gallery. (www.satellitegallery.co.nz).  Her works are held in private collections as well as that of the James Wallace Trust.

She paints intuitively using the qualities of light to illuminate elusive and enigmatic figures, the details of each being unknown to her before painting commences, so that with each work there is a process of discovery.  By not titling the pieces, Tina shares this sense of discovery with her audience who are free to interpret each painting as they wish.

This exhibition is a continuing evolution of her work.

“They don’t go for grandeur or savagery or the latest thing from overseas. They are challenging since they set the imagination at work and they do have that eminently approachable quality of delight”. – TJ McNamara, NZ Herald, November 28,2009.

Hope to see you at the opening on the 13th  – there will be some of my work in a Pod; also work by Amy MacKinnon, Cheryl Wright, Prue Mac Dougall & Tineke Wilde.

I haven’t been blogging lately as I have been busy with Christmas spirit at work, no really I have been working hard with Christmas projects!

But back into it soon enough – in between I have managed a few exhibitions that I haven’t written about yet so I promise to get started again!

All things small and beautiful…

Sarah Hillary's 'Floating'

Two exhibitions in the last week I’ve been to and the paintings have been very small, delicate even.

The first is Sarah Hillary’s ‘Floating’ at Anna Miles Gallery in High Street. It’s on until 22 December so catch it if you can. Sarah has painted on 99 shells given to her as gifts by friends and relations. They are beautiful – all the shells are combined into one large set, but the whole is made up of smaller sets. The sets of shells are matched in size and shape and the painted surface to make smaller sets within the whole. There are also five watercolours called ‘Floral Bed’.

Alex Scott's 'The Matchbox Collections'

The other is an Alex Scott’s ‘The Matchbox Collections’ at Letham Gallery in Jervois Road. Painted onto matchboxes and arranged in 50 sets of ten on subjects as diverse as Assassinations, Ships, Royals,  and replicas of famous artworks by Monet, Cezanne, Warhol and Picasso.  Wild Winter was my favourite, showing wild animals in the snow.

I’ve been working small too, over the last two years and you will be able to see some of those at our studio open day this Saturday, plus at the Satelitte Gallery from 13 December.

 

Two Painting Summer Schools with Matthew Browne

Two workshops: 9.30am – 3.30pm daily

Workshop # 1: Painting 4^th- 6^th January 2012: $265 (3 days)

Workshop # 2: Painting from the Figure 7^th- 8^th January 2012: $210 (2 days)

Kick-start the New Year and join us for either of these exciting and informative classes developed to get your drawing and painting up and running.

Both classes are suitable for students with some experience who feel that they would benefit from further guidance in a stimulating and supportive environment.

Workshop # 1 Painting:
Beginning with observation you will be encouraged to explore both the drawing and painting processes, experimenting with scale, media and technique to awaken a conceptual awareness and a personal vision.

Learning is conducted through strong direction and structure with plenty of flexibility for open interpretations and with a particular emphasis on accommodating individuality and creative growth.

Workshop # 2 Painting from the Figure:
Working directly from the unclothed figure course participants will initially produce a series of observational studies looking at the formal issues of form, structure and space.

Students will then be encouraged to develop both drawings and paintings that explore an individual response to the figure with a particular emphasis on the translation of these formal issues into exciting and expressive explorations of line, tone and colour.

Matthew Browne has a BA (Hons) in painting from Camberwell School of Arts in London and an MFA (Hons) from Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland. He is a committed painter and an enthusiastic and motivational teacher with experience at several tertiary and community institutions both in New Zealand and in the UK.

The venue:  Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland Opened in 2000, the Grey Lynn Community Centre is a fabulous venue and facility.

The Main Hall for the Summer School is big and airy with doors that open out onto a large sunny deck. There are tables, easels, kitchen facilities, off road parking and plenty of great local cafes.

Bookings: Ph  (09) 378 1822   or   Mob 021 267 9242   or Email: mrmattbro@hotmail.com

(Please do not direct bookings to the Grey Lynn Community Centre)

Postal Bookings: 16 Maxwell Avenue, Westmere, Auckland 1021

Places are reserved on a first come first served basis and are confirmed upon receipt of payment in full.

Reservations not confirmed with payment will be held for a maximum of 7 days.

Class limit for each class is 15.

A list of materials and a receipt for course fees will be forwarded upon confirmation of enrolment.

Cancellations and Refunds:
All cancellations made before the 1^st of January 2012 will be less a 20% administration fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations after the 1^st of January 2012 or after a course has begun.

Dornwell Studios – Art Studio Open Day Sat 3rd Dec

Saturday 3rd December 2011, 12 noon to 4pm

Wow – our THIRD annual open day! Take a once-a-year opportunity to explore a working shared studio, to view new or even in-progress artworks and have a chat with the very approachable artists.

There will be work on display and some for sale (no eftpos sorry, but cash, cheque or bank deposit will do the trick).

• Trevor Bayly
• Jo Dalgety
• Chris Dennis
• Sue Hellings
• Amy MacKinnon
• Carolyn Milbank
• Sarah Stuart
• Susan Thomas
• Jane Thorne

Come along to our studio on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd, 12-4pm, to enjoy the art and the refreshments, and find out what makes us tick! TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre at the Pah Homestead is nearby – why not make an art day of it!

Dornwell Studios First Floor, Access Ezy Self-Storage
35B Dornwell Road, Three Kings – see map: http://g.co/maps/ks9qf

RAW… like a lion

"Self portrait". Ink and molding paste on wall, dimensions variable, 2011 Pilimilose (Limi) Manu

After five months of absorbing art from earlier centuries, it was refreshing and inspiring to check out AUT University’s School of Art + Design RAW Festival 2011. We only took in the Visual Arts portion of the festival over four floors – work from both the Bachelor and Postgraduate Visual Arts programmes.

I was excited in particular to see Margaret Estall’s work. I had studied at ArtStation with Margaret over 2 years and at that time she painted exquisite representational work based on the floral head wear of the Cook Islands. The senses play a large part in her latest work, especially smell – isolating and capturing the essence of the experience for the viewer. Her work is still exquisite. It will be great to watch where Margaret’s work leads her from here.

And I specifically enjoyed the work of Pilimilose Manu whose image you see here – one small part of a large wall painting; Kayla Humphreys and her gentle abstract watercolour-like paintings; Sheridan Mellor’s large landscape; Alexandra Ramsdale’s exquisite little jewel-like paintings; Emma McIntyre’s ‘Ouiet Moments’, watercolours of familar scenes ; Franziske Poeschl’s grey silk hangings; Viveienne Worn’s abstract oils and Janetta Hayden‘s intriguing ‘Shelves for Objects’.

Janetta Hayden's intriguing 'Shelves for Objects'

I loved the installation in one of the foyers – ‘slowness shifting’ by Veronica Herber – a wonderful ‘lace’ canopy made with masking tape. So much to see, so many artists that I have only mentioned a few. Excellent work and so inspiring – I am now itching to get back into my studio, after my first quick visit on Friday afternoon.

'slowness shifting' by Veronica Herber

Upcoming events for me…

Hikuai Art Day Saturday 26th November 9.30am – 3pm (Election Day)

Dornwell Studio Open Day – Satrurday 3rd December 12-4pm

2 works by Tina Frantzen

Tina Frantzen’s Entr’acte exhibition – 13-24 December, Satellite Gallery 136A Newton Road Newton Auckland
Tina has asked me to exhibit some my small works in a couple of the pods in the gallery at the same time as her exhibition. A pleasure and very exciting!

Somerset House and The Courthald Gallery

I was off to see The Courthald Gallery and entered along the Embankment entrance to Somerset House, just so I can walk through the inner courtyard, see the fountain and catch up with anything else going on there.

This time it was a small exhibition called Forgotten Spaces. Based on a competition run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), architects, engineers, students and designers of all kinds were invited to submit proposals for overlooked spaces across Greater London. They found obscure pockets of land, from land under flyovers, unloved green verges, disused car parks, underground climbing tunnels, city grottos, rooftop social hubs and inhabited church spires and had come up with very innovative ways to use that land – temporary or permanent.

The onto The Courthald – known for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, the collection spans from the early Renaissance to Modernist works of the 20th century. The Italian 14th and early 15th century paintings include works by Bernardo Daddi and Fra Angelico. The Renaissance works include work by Botticelli, Tintoretto and two panels by Pieter Brueghel the Elder and the 17th century paintings include a collection of paintings by Reubens.

Onto the 18th century and we have paintings by Gainsborough, Goya and Tiepolo. The technique and work in all of these paintings is oustanding. But my heart is more interested in the final rooms - Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and 20th century.

Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère

Samuel Courtauld collected the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works; the 20th century works have been collected by the Gallery.

The collection depicts the development of modern French painting with paintings by Monet , Renoir, Seurat and Gauguin. Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère and many paintings by Cézanne. A room is dedicated to paintings, drawings and bronzes by Degas.

It was like viewing all the paintings I had studied in my Modern Art & Modernity paper at University – not on paper or slide, but in the flesh. How much easier would it be to nip along and see the paintings for real, and then write about them?

And onto the 20th century – paintings by the French Fauves (or Wild Beasts), including Matisse, Derain and Dufy. And my favourite – German Expressionist paintings – a painting by Paula Mendersohn-Becker and also many of Kandinsky’s works. And works by Kokoschka. Artists from the Bloomsbury Group, Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and Roger Fry. And work by Nicholson, Sutherland and Hitchens.

It’s a small gallery packed with an excellent collection, all housed in an excellent old building worth seeing for itself. Go visit if you are in London – if art and paintings is not your thing, this one is well worth a visit.

If you want to take a look at the gallery for yourself, try this virtual tour! The extremely high resolution allows you to examine masterpieces for yourself.