Nelson Masked Parade 2012

One of my favourite Nelson events is the Masked Parade, when the whole community gets on the streets either to take part in the parade or to watch. This year the theme was Myths and Legends. Here are some entries that caught my eye. I don't remember or know names for all groups or acts. If you know better you could help me name things correctly, so credit goes where credit is due.

 Victory Adult ESOL

Montessori Preschool (?) Taniwha

 Hampden Street School

 I think this was Hampden St School as well.

 A solo stiltwalker.

 Nayland College.

  Nayland College.

  Nayland College.

  Nayland College.

 Tasman School.

These two characters were part of a larger band, but stood out strutting and trumpeting in their colander hats and huge black sideburns.

 jump!

 Dragon and knight.

Nayland Primary School

Nayland Primary School

Nayland Primary School

Nayland Primary School

 This is one of the two creatures that started the parade.

Thank you Nelson, I love you!

Beginnings exhibition invite

Changing Threads 2012

Published a tad backdated but better late than never...

Changing Threads, the National Contemporary Fibre Arts Awards was on show at the Refinery Artspace in Nelson from 24th March until 21st April 2012 for the fourth year running. Thanks to Ronnie Martin`s initiative and the support from Arts Council Nelson we get to enjoy this classy feast of imagination and the unexpected in my home town.

These are my favorites from the exhibition, for any unfathomable reason. There was other lovely work too, but these are the ones my camera gravitated towards.

Sandra Mead: Immigrant

Matt Siwerski: Buck Fever

Melliors Simms: Blizzard

Sally Reynolds: Yin and Yang (on the left)

Karyn Henson: 365 Days

Colleen Plank: Skin Deep

Jo Kinross: Colins Bed (An Artist`s Life Isn`t Always a Bed of Roses)

Marilyn Andrews: 2731 Genetic Experiment RCG07022012a:

Marilyn Andrews: 2731 Genetic Experiment RCG07022012b:

Jo Kinross: 5 Little Prayer Flags

 Maria Julkunen Dalton: Blip (on the Love Radar)

Sharon Patterson: Close/Closed

 

Jean Carbon: Together/Alone

 

 Sandra Mead: Pippi

Sue Heydon: Entitlement Series

Love, Shelter, Warmth, Food, Stimulation, Companionship

Jenny Judge: Field

Chris Tait: This is the Story of a Girl...

Claire Hey: Vintage Beach Culture

Looking forward to next year already!

Blip (on the Love Radar)

I entered this piece to the 2012 Changing Threads exhibition with the name Blip (on the Love Radar). Changing Threads is a juried National Contemporary Fibre Arts Awards exhibition held annually here in Nelson. This was the third time I participated.

Click on the photo to see the details.

I ended up mounting the piece twice. I first wanted to maintain some transparency as the distressed cloth with stitching looked interesting with backlight. The best board I got hold of turned out not being transparent enough. Not only that, but it ended up warping in the heat of my car while it sat there for a few hours before driving to the gallery. I was mortified.

I liked the wide silk organza edge on the first version, even though it always looked a bit wobbly on the sides. During the next few days I remounted it on a smaller but thicker board. I also padded the centre of the biggest circle on the left for better 3D effect. Mounting is tricky business and once again I learned that it would be better to have that in mind quite early on in the process.

I was so proud to share the exhibition space with such high standard of work overall. You can see photos of my favourite pieces here.

i went up the hill

I went up the hill

and felt much better.

It always works.

 I may carry the weight of the World

but somehow it falls off on the way up.

Restrictions...

Limitations...

Fear... 

Pressure...

I smell the grass

feel the breeze

see the horizon

the hum turns to silence.

I gently slip from doing to being

and feel such gratitude

for all that is.