$33,680 Raised!
A big shout out and thank you to those of you that bid on our recent Artists for Cyclone Relief Auction. The auction was a huge success and we raised an incredible $33680- just phenomenal!!!
These funds have gone direct to The Kindness Collective foundation to be distributed. Rachael Mayne has been working directly with the charity.
I thought I'd share with you the response from Sarah Page at the Kindness Collective Foundation:
'This is just SO incredible. We are SO grateful to you and everyone who donated their beautiful work!!!
We've decided to really narrow your funds down to use to bring joy to children and their families that have been badly affected in Hawkes Bay and Auckland through our school, marae and kohanga network to donate new toys, art resources, books and other items that can provide children with respite, relaxation and joy. We've heard some really sad stories over the last weekend about schools, centres, and families have lost their entire belongings, all art supplies, colouring-in books, toys, lego sets, and all the things that children used to learn and play. We have already had a meeting with the head of Kohanga Reo in Hawkes Bay with 52 centres under them, with a number of them red-stickered and yellow-stickered. We have also made a deposit of $10,000 to a Clive/Hastings community group we work with who are delivering 100 food boxes, books, colouring-in packs and donated LEGO sets to affected families next weekend. They're using the Surf Life Saving team and their boats to get them to rural areas that are still cut-off - so that is fantastic'.
How cool is that!
A massive thank you to fellow artist Rachel Mayne for pouring her energy into the preparation and
pulling-together of this auction. So privileged to have be have been amongst such a talented pool of artists & I'm so thrilled to have been able to contribute in such a meaningful initiative and be able to put creativity towards being able to help those who desperately need our help in NZ right now.
My Painting, 'Moon Swimming' is off to a lovely lady in Dunedin.
Trips & Dips
In other news I recently spend a couple of weeks in Australia. I was lucky enough to venture to Shellharbour to spend 5 days under the guidance of the talented Richard Claremont. He is a firm favourite of mine to be sure! I learnt, drew and painted with a lovely group of fellow artists all looking to "loosen up"! It was a great week, in equal parts fun, tiring and inspiring. I have come away with some new ideas and hopefully you will get to see some 'loosening up' in my work in the coming months.
Here, Richard and I discussing the merits and discrepancies in my dabblings.
and below #WIP on my initial 'loose' Shellharbour trials.
With fellow artist Katie Robinson, we were lucky enough to enjoy the wonderful hospitality of a fellow kiwi & long time friend of mine, in Minnamurra.
The scenery was breathtaking!
And yes, my yoga teacher Cheryl, would be proud,
I couldn't help but just sit and mediate on our beautiful surrounds.
New Gallery Building Opening!
Back to Sydney briefly, for a mad-dash-catch-up with old friends and the all important checking-out of the fabulous new building at the Art Gallery of NSW, without kids in tow!
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA, its the first museum in Australia to be awarded the highest rating for sustainable design. It sits on Gadigal country, overlooking Sydney Harbour. Open in design it perches more like a sun bleached tent in the arid landscape than a solid, firming pegged building. It's clear the material choices have been very sympathetically rendered as metaphors to people, sand, sea, earth and sky. Simple in concept but intriguing if you chose to ponder when in-situ. I recommend taking your time to soak in architecture along with the art.
And I don't want to say too much more and give the game away but if you are planning a trip, I cant recommended highly enough checking out the beautifully conceptualised spaces and installations, particularly its subterranean delights (a few photos that I took underground, below).
Or check it out at https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/sydney-modern-project/
Below, a little glimpse of shadow cast on the wall in an exhibition about home, immigration, refuges and personal histories, the entrance of which is fascinating. Ground floor exhibition.
Drawing from Life
With Renos and commitments overwhelming the last couple of years I am now taking more of a moderated approach to the year ahead; with some much needed exploration and self-imposed lessons this year.
Recently I've been getting back into some weekly life drawing classes at The Lake House, Takapuna with wonderful tutor, Rachael Burke. Quick exercises of various iterations are completed. I'm finding it so cathartic to be able to just relax into some drawing work without pressure of performance & exhibition and I know it will help my eye to see and provide a great backbone for some of the portrait and figurative work I am planning to get back into over the next few months . Here are some of my recent doodlings.
Right, thats me for now. Thank you for reading this far. I'll update you next month on planned group exhibitions and also some new additions, in print form, to my website offerings. I may even try and get my head around setting up Shopify or some other machanics, so wish me luck and watch this space.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou
Sarah