The sun shone all day.  A short drive brought us to the wonderful small Waikato coastal town of Raglan.  Not so many surfies there today as in the summer months, but plenty to see including the art on the beach.  (See one of my paintings of this area below)

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​'Foothills with Bush West Waikato' Oil on Wood Panel 300mmx250mm, Framed

Scenes from around this area of the Waikato today, including Te Koutu lake in Cambridge.  The sun warm and the tuis in the Kowhai tree, almond blossom and a freshly ploughed paddock - convincing me that Spring is here at last.  
The small painting below was inspired by the amazing displays of blossom around this area, in gardens, lining the roads, in orchards and parks.

It's been a long winter and what a joy it is to see the Spring blossom and leaves emerging - even on another rainy day!
​Recent work has also centred on nature.  A waterlily theme for the Pop Tondo Series.

These are a few pics I took yesterday from the shore of Lake Taupo.  A freezing cold wind was blowing from the South, but I couldn't resist experimenting with lenses and apertures to capture the distant snow covered mountains.  (See my watercolour sketch at the end of these photos - an a different style and a warmer time of year!)

And now my interpretation of the area in a small sketch of Lake Taupo, showing a fleet of sailing dinghies setting forth on in summer for an evening race.  

A blustery winter's day in Cambridge (NZ) was brightened by these wonderful creations done by the Creative Fibre group in the town.  They were advertising the annual show (26th to 30th June 2018), which features rugs, mats, shawls, blankets, socks, jerseys even pom poms, indeed anything which can be knitted, crotcheted or stitched, together with a day when all the trades people come from far and wide to sell all types of goods from hand dyed fleece to fashion garments.  I am always amazed how this relatively small town puts this huge event on.  This year they will be celebrating the 50th anniversary.

I was recently trying to make sense of all the memorabilia stored away and came across an old black covered scrapbook cantaining drawings my Father sent to my brother and me when he was serving as a despatch rider for the British Army in Europe in WW11.  They were carefully glued into a scrap book for us by our diligent Mother, so we could look at them often – it formed a bond with him that proved beneficial when he returned home in 1945.  These are just a few of many. I guess these may have been the catalyst for my interest in art!

​My first sketch done when I was 11 years old on a camping trip to the Peak District in England.  No cell phones in those days!

I was reminded today of how, as humans, we are surrounded by visual expressions in so many ways.  After a few days of severe storms here in New Zealand, summer has returned, the gardens have 'greened up', and the ice blocks kept in our freezer for visiting grandkids have become very popular again!
Glancing over at the two youngest girls sitting in the shade of the oak tree, deep in conversation today, I took a quick pic.  The colours of the T shirts (one tie-dyed with Mum today) against the blues of the hydrangas are a pleasing combination I thought.  Nature has such a naturally brilliant colour sense anyway - without the T shirts!  Then I noticed the painted black and white fake tattoo on the leg. Isn't the visual world wonderful?  

​Robert Henri says 'After all, the goal is not making art.  It is living a life.  Those who live their lives will leave stuff that is really art.  Art is a result.  It is a trace of those who have led their lives.'
We can only keep trying!!
Shortly after writing this I came across a newspaper cutting from over 20 years ago, with the same image shown - in it's first stage!!  Yes, we can only keep trying!!

The flow of work on the new series has been slightly interrupted recently by a request to help with painting props for the local Talos production at the Woolshed Theatre.  Alice in Wonderland needed a Cheshire Cat in three pieces (the middle one being the body had to twirl round for use in 'going down the tunnel simulation!)
Once the initial charcoal drawing had been done - making sure the animal didn't look too scary or dozy - the colours tended to be dependent on the paint available in suitable quantities!

The finished result has been approved by the stage manager I'm pleased to say - so now I can get on with other stuff and enjoy watching the play in the fullness of time (particularly as my Granddaughter is playing Alice!).

This is a pic of the board walk at Pirongia - flooded! Needing some exercise after days in the studio I was hoping for better conditions with the sun out - no such luck - the Waikato is saturated but with the warmer days at least everything is growing fast.
The time is coming up for the local children's production at the Woolshed Theatre.  A version of Alice in Wonderland this year - with Granddaughter in leading role and her Mum as wardrobe mistress. Apparently they need help with the 'cats' costumes - face painting on masks!  Below is some scenery  painted for last years production.

Visits in the past to these colourful cities around the world has certainly given me a new perspective on life and contributed to the imagery in my head which feeds my artwork.  The Getty was such an amazing experience, the selected paintings being so wonderfully presented and each a great example of that famous artist. One could savour each one and not get mental indigestion as often at public galleries.

A trip to Auckland this week for a concert in the Town Hall by the Auckland Philharmonia, with the amazing guest violinist Alina Ibragimova playing Bartok's Violin Comcerto No. 2 was a wonderful experience on a stormy Thursday night.  Her performance was truly superhuman I thought.  Not being a musician myself I was in total awe of how she played this complex music without the score!
But as I sat there, it so reminded me of the creation of abstract paintings - the amount of  energy and 'soul', the interpretation of the music created that excitement so like the feelings generated by pure creative happenings in abstract work.
A visit to a major Auckland gallery the next day was interesting too.  The gallery had downsized to a busier part of town, and chatting to the owner reinforced the news one reads every day of bricks and mortar galleries closing.  I know that the internet, and in particular the social media sites, are becoming more and more important in the art world (she said also how expensive art fairs had become).  I am constantly amazed at how many 'hits' my web site gets, despite my not making any effort to market it.  Promoting my site has to go on my priority list I can see - as I'm sure it's the only way to go these days.  I've made several studio sales via the web since I set up my site and would like to get on an art trail etc.  Another one for my list! 

A few days in Wellington for my birthday was a real treat.  It refreshes the mind to get into life in a bustling city again.  Together with the CAFE scene, a visit to a performance by the NZ Ballet and a rather black humour play at the Circa Theatre, the 4.8 jolt on our first night there, and managing to have got out before the airport closures the day after we left - it was a memorable time away.

The obligatory visit to a few galleries was worthwhile if only to see that Max Gimlett was still peddling the gold covered 'life rings' etc, and that Giglee prints are becoming even more popular (our hotel room had patterned prints on the walls to match the decor, and the reception a huge projected video of what looked like ink in agitated water.  Mixed media in all forms is alive and well, and Te Papa once again had the floor designated for NZ artwork 'closed for refurbishment'.  
So I got back in my studio determined to enjoy my creativity and not worry about the trends.  Out came the acrylic skins I had prepared a few weeks ago and the round gessoed canvas (just for a change of format) and with my painty clothes on I got to work adhering the skins to the support to the strains of Bach.