http://vangoghletters.org/vg/

The background to this edition: the Van Gogh Letters Project. All the surviving letters written and received by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) are contained in this edition of his correspondence.

Penzance 2009 oil on linen

I’ve finished another smaller painting that will be exhibited The Little Gallery in Tairua.  This one is a seascape of Penzance. I am very pleased with it – brings back  memories  for me too while I was painting it, all good.

Hauptallee 2009

And the framing for the ‘Hauptallee’ painting is ready, so that painting will go down to The Little Gallery in Tairua as well. This one is an oil on gesso (old-fashioned gesso) on board.

A good set of four I feel, showing my work. I have also finished two more larger paintings (1200×900) but will keep them until my exhibition in February – one of the North York Moors and one of Dartmoor.

Englischer Garten

Berewic

Paula MacNeill has opened ‘The Little Gallery of Fine Arts’ in Tairua’s main street. The jam-packed opening was on Saturday 24th, and all looks great. Two of my paintings are being shown and I will take down another for their stock this weekend coming. There is painters including Michael Smither, sculptors, weavers and jewellers. The sculptors have a garden to display their work.

It was hard to view the work well with the crowd on the weekend, but I will take a good look this coming weekend. I’ll mention some of the artists in future blogs and show some of their work.

Painters: Paula McNeill, Pam Plummer, Susan Dunster, Nicky Hartley, Liz Hart, Airdrie Hamilton, Joanne Mahoney, Amanda Ewing, Lucy Horne, Trish Barnett, Jill Cameron, Ray Neumann, Wendy Mikkelsen, Kate Hill, Tanya Paton, Catherine Outwin, Sam Rogers, Tineke Slomp, Merian Townsen, Verena Tagmann.

Sculptors: Christine Hatton, Dave Fowell, Bruno Gaebler, Ian Thorne, Tim Holman, Betty Collings, Judy Meehl, Pam Plummer, Ian Webster, Gary Nevin, Tim Aldrich, Jan Kocian, GlassART.

Weavers: Anne Hay-Smith, Janet Clissold, Lisa McKendry.

Jewellers: Kate Ewing, Vicky Hunt, Askoru, Jemma Gregory.

MOUNTAIN DREAMING ARTS WORKSHOP
RAGLAN SUMMER SCHOOL

We are offering a ground breaking new course- but one that will be suitable for all  clay workers/ artists with a sense of adventure…

“THE THEATRE OF CLAY: EXPLORING THE PERFORMANCE NATURE OF  INSTALLATIONS OF CLAY OBJECTS OVER TIME WITH LIGHT AND  SOUND”

This exciting multi media course is contemporary- even cutting edge!

The tutors are among New Zealand’s most acclaimed in their fields…

JOHN PARKER with a theme of PERMANENCE/IMPERMANENCE  will work towards installations in clay.
Web site: www.johnparker.co.nz

ANDREW MALMO offers students the opportunityto photograph their art  work from capture to computer based editing.
Web site: www.stratacreative.co.nz

Students will bring their clay skills to a new way of working, and be guided in  a digital recording using light, sound and movement.

Installation and theatre come together for four amazing days!

Dates: 2010 January 16th to 19th inclusive.
Place: Mountain Dreaming Arts Workshop.
142 Waimaunga Rd. Raglan.
Postal: P.O.Box 237, Raglan.

Fee: $280 [for the 4 days tuition]
It is a good idea to enrol early to ensure a place, as numbers are limited- and  accommodation will need to be booked early in Raglan.

Enquiries or enrolment with Susan Flight at 0272716157  or at the above postal address.

Jacqueline Anderson
Arts Administrator

Raglan Old School Arts Centre

Ph:  07 825 0023
http://raglanartscentre.co.nz/

“Vinyl Cutting for Artists” starts Thursday 15th October and there are still spaces available.  The next “Old School / New School” course begins Friday 30th October.  For details about these classes see: www.artmade.co.nz. Feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might be interested.

Also… the Bath Street Gallery group show I mentioned in an earlier post, has now been extended to Saturday 31st October.

Just letting you know that Peter Gibson Smith is  showing some new work at Bath Street Gallery, 43 Bath St. Parnell, till October 10th. No opening for this one but if you’re over Parnell way,  drop by.

Hours: Tuesday – Friday 10.00 – 5.30,  Saturday 11.00 – 3.00

Peter Gibson Smith
Mob: 021 32 88 90

A lot to post – it may all come in one go. I have just come from one of the Sunday talks at the Auckland Art Gallery that are happening while the Rita Angus exhibition is on. Today’s speaker was Principal Conservator, Sarah Hillary giving an illustrated account of her research into the diverse range of techniques used by Rita Angus in her oil paintings. (They are always free and excellent.) I have also been to listen to Marti Friedlander talking about photographing Rita, and Gaylene Preston talking about making and showing her film, Lovely Rita, on past Sundays. The film is also showing at the Academy Cinema in the city until November.

And of course the Rita Angus exhibition is great, the work fantastic and shouldn’t be missed. So much work to see – if you are able, go and see it in smaller parts – it’s free to get in.

I also bought Jill Trevelyan’s book, Rita Angus, An Artist’s Life. Fantastic – I have always been a reader of biographies, fascinated by how other people lead their lives and overcome obstacles, make decisions.  And looking back, I have been esepcially interested in biographies of or auto-biographies by women – Rita Angus, Frances Hodgkins, Georgia O’Keeffe and Martha Gellhorn are the ones that stand out. Their determination, their toughness or strength make their lives stand out to me.

Just letting you know that the next round of art classes is starting up on Thursday 17th September.
There’s now a website that has dates and details for the rest of the year. The address is…

www.artmade.co.nz

As well as ancient materials like egg tempera, gesso and encaustic, classes also encompass modern tools like computer driven plotters and cutters.

The two classes offered are:

‘Old School/New School’ experimental painting with traditional materials.

and

‘Vinyl Cutting for Artists’ a practical course in vinyl cutting, particularly for artists.

Located in the Auckland CBD, all classes are taught in a studio setting where work in progress can be left until the next session.

David Hockney

Back in June, The Sunday Telegraph London ran an article called Hockney’s Green revolution, by Catherine Milner. David Hockney’s new paintings, Just Nature, were on show at the Kunsthalle Würth, Schwäbisch Hall in Germany. They have great articles and writing on art in their papers.

Apparently after years of living the lifestyle in California David Hockney has moved back to England and his home town of Bridlington. And he is painting the landscape. I like them.

If someone like David Hockney can paint England’s landscapes, it makes me feel more ‘right’ about mine. Sometimes I feel slightly embarassed when someone asks me what I paint, and I have to reply ‘landscapes’.

P.S. There is a great time line on this David Hockney site.

Work by artists shortlisted for the £25,000 Threadneedle Prize will go on display at Mall Galleries, in London, next week.

This competition is a showcase for the best in contemporary painting and sculpture, open to all artists – established and emerging talent – aged 18 and over, living or working in the UK. Approximately 60 works, selected from a national open submission, will be exhibited at the Mall Galleries, London in September 2009.

Two major prizes are available: The Threadneedle Prize (£25,000) and a new Emerging Artist Prize (£5,000). Each of the six runners-up for The Threadneedle Prize receive £1,000.

Seven works, nominated by the panel of selectors, are shortlisted to win the £25,000 Threadneedle Prize. The artist who receives the largest share of public votes cast online and throughout the exhibition wins the Prize.

Here are the SEVEN works shortlisted by our panel of selectors to win this year’s £25,000 Threadneedle Prize – the most valuable art prize in the UK awarded by the public.

You can vote at the exhibition or online on a one email one vote basis.  You may cast only ONE vote for ONE of the seven shortlisted works previewed on this page. The artist who receives the largest share of public votes throughout the voting period, cast online and at the exhibition, wins the £25,000 Threadneedle Prize.

Voting commences from 1 September 2009 and closes at 12 noon on Monday 14 September 2009.  The winner of the Prize will be announced on their website during the evening of 14 September.

Interesting.