Struan Farm

A Gift of Jazz Glass

Some years ago, after graduating from Smith College, I moved to Boston and shared an apartment with a sister alumna, Barbara Kaplan. We 'flatted' together for several years on Boston's waterfront; I can't remember if we parted due to my transfer to Los Angeles or because she got married.

At one point Barb dated an artist named Richard who also taught sailing at the Boston Harbor Sailing School adjacent to our apartment building on the waterfront. For my birthday that year I received a piece of his "Jazz Glass" as my birthday gift. I had the piece framed, and it has moved when I have moved ever since.

I thought about all this when I was down at the Cottage at Struan Farm last weekend.

I've recently reconnected with Barb, have no idea what happened to Richard the artist, but his "Jazz Glass" (Barb's gift) is now installed in the Cottage. When John and I were renovating a few years ago we decided it was the perfect spot. It's travelled around a bit but is now home. Like me, really. Installed at long last.

 

Happy Birthday/Anniversary

Very organized husband this year on the birthday (and anniversary) fronts. John and I were married on my birthday--he decided this way he had a better chance of remembering the date....

I was asked what I might like as a gift. Coincidentally I had just seen an interesting piece at the Creative Waitomo Art Exhibition in Te Kuiti by Coromandel artist Daniel Kirsch, from a group called "The Manuka Beehive Series." He's screened prints onto wood from recycled bee boxes, apparently he often works using recycled materials, including old car bodies. More information about Daniel can be found here. 

So this interesting piece is now hanging at The Cottage at Struan Farm. I love it. I know you're not too sure about it yourself but thanks John!

When we were first married years ago John tried to double up and get (away with) only one gift to commemorate both my birthday and our anniversary. He's since learned that I see my birth and our wedding as two distinct events. Truth be told I am willing to negotiate, since this issue is about principle, not gifts, per se.  I want to make sure neither event is overlooked, plus I do happen to be somewhat sentimental.

And so my anniversary gift was a battery operated hedge trimmer! John recently saw me trying out Anna's on our hedges at Struan Farm, they're much easier and faster than the hand clippers. 

I like the contrast between these two gifts: one nourishes my spirit while the other is highly practical. I appreciate them both. 

You're probably going to ask what John's anniversary gift was, weren't you? I've bought some Sirdar eco wool DK knitting yarn in an oatmeal color to make him a new sweater. To be handknit with love by the winter fire!

 

Creative Waitomo Exhibition

Piopio artist Jo Gallagher is one of several artists participating in the Creative Waitomo Exhibition running now through April 9th at 54 Te Kumi Road (SH3), Te Kuiti, opposite Bosco's Cafe. Hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Jo has graciously given me permission to post pictures of several of her paintings on exhibit (all images are copyrighted to Jo Gallagher 2012).

"Wicked Wekas"

"Sunset on State Highway 3"

And last but not least, "Man Shed"

 

 

 

Abstract Magnolia

I got a bit lost in the magnolia flowers with my macro lens. John isn't too sure, but then he isn't into abstract art much. Think Georgia O'Keeffe.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Artistic Talent in Our Midst

Piopio artist Jo Gallagher is exhibiting in the Auckland area this upcoming weekend here. This past week Jo emailed us some of her recent work, which she has kindly given me permission to post:

 
 
The top work is titled "The Hills of Home," the bottom "Serenity."  Jo's website can be found here with her contact details and information about obtaining her work. Images are copyrighted to Jo, and should not be used without her prior permission.

Fenton Find

I've been on the hunt for some interesting candlesticks for Sir Carrick's big dining table in the Homestead.  I have a hard time with candlesticks: most are too elaborate for me, fancy silver or crystal just isn't my cup of tea. And then there's the issue of dripping wax, and the need to find a design that deals with that disaster waiting to happen. I went to a few stores last week and didn't find anything contemporary that I liked at all.

Over the weekend I stopped into Collectamania in Ohaupo,  and picked up a pair of lovely old Fenton green milk glass candlesticks that tick all of the boxes:

 
I love the simple, "organic" design and the wide base. The company is a family owned firm that has operated since the early 1900's in Williamstown, West Virginia, USA. They created carnival glass and have manufactured colored art glass since that time, were inspired by both Tiffany and Steuben. Find more information here.

Bus Stops

On my recent trip to Nelson I went into my favorite retro/vintage antique shop, Eclectic. As I entered the shop, I looked to the back brick wall and saw a long (10 ft!) black textile hanging with place names from the area in bold white letters: Nelson, Stoke, Richmond, and Tahuna amongst others.

 
It spoke to me, and I walked straight back to try to figure out what it was. I wasn't able to decipher the scribbled tag, so asked the gentleman at the till. He told me it was a "bus blind,"  the roll of changing destination names seen in the little window at the front of a bus. This one came from an erstwhile NZ company called "Newmans." A former employee had collected them over the years when they were due to be replaced and thrown out. They had a number of other shorter ones for sale in the shop, but I decided that the long one from the Nelson area was coming home since John and I had been married in the area.

It is destined to hang in our new Lockwood "Pio Pio." I figure it will look great hanging on the high wooden wall outside the kitchen, probably framed floating in glass with a black frame. I was expecting some raised eyebrows from John when I arrived home with it (he sometimes is just a wee bit skeptical of my more unusual purchases). But in this case he likes it and thinks it will look great in this space, one that sings out for something special and visually dramatic.

Of course that same weekend I picked up the May issue of "NZ House & Garden" magazine, where I discovered a framed bus blind from London featuring in one of the articles:

 
I am so onto these trends, aren't I?????

Sheep Magnate, or is that Magnet?

One lunchtime this past week I raced down to the LYS in the Auckland CBD to try to find yarn to knit "Inspira Cowl." I was keen to get this project on my needles as soon as possible.

Striding through the mall I looked into a shop and this is what caught my eye:

 

Sheep alert! How do I do this? As I was paying for what turned out to be a cushion cover covered in sheep, I also saw this:

  

It's a print of the Andy Warhol-esque sheep images that I already own in "tea towel," if "tea towel" can be described as a medium. Turns out my sheep tea towel artist had rented this shop on a short term basis to sell his work, one of his art students was working the till.

Not sure as yet if I'm going to use the pillow cover as envisioned or chop it up and use the stylized sheep for another project. I'm expecting the latter.

Lastly, just stumbled upon this photograph of 24 paper sheep in New York's Times Square by Brooklyn artist Kyu Seok Oh:

 
I'm not the only one into sheep, it seems to be a global phenomenon.

 

It's Official: Biff

Lots of differing views with respect to a name for Julie Arkell's whimsical creature, our recently emigre from Loop  in London.

 
She's settled in quite easily to life in the country after the journey out to NZ and down to Piopio from Papakura, seems quite contented as the Knitting Studio's mascot.

Clementine, I was advised, "sounded like an orange." Pippa and Mabel were "too old lady." There was no consensus. This is why NZ has abolished first past the post voting, I am sure, adopting MMP and coalition governments.

As for me, I rather liked Lola, but I can't be "trendy." Heavens no.

John and I discussed this tough decision over dinner Thursday night. Growing up my sister Beth had been called "Biffy" or "Biff" for short. Family legend has it that her older sister (me) used to biff her on the head. (I for one never believed this to be true.) My sister has been having some health issues of late, and in thinking of her I decided that this eccentric little creature would be christened "Biff" in my sister's honor.

It's sufficiently cheeky but also stiff upper lip, something reflective of both her and of my sister.

 

The Knitting Studio's New Resident

I've enjoyed the London based Loop Knitting website for some time, more recently their new-ish blog. (Please note/admire, I've just learned how to insert a URL properly into my blog posts...)

Loop has a paper mache mascot whose name (I think) is "JuJu." She was made by artist Julie Arkell, whose work the shop also sells. Earlier this year they held a special exhibition of Julie's work, which incorporates paper mache with vintage fabrics and other finds. Her creatures seem to be these amazing quirky little personalities (perhaps one reason why they resonate with me?). I was too late to purchase any of the pieces from the exhibition, but contacted Loop and asked if by any chance I might be able to commission Julie to make a creature who'd be willing to emigrate to Piopio, New Zealand and Struan Farm Knitting Studio.

She arrived in New Zealand early yesterday morning to a lovely sunny day. After a brief visit to my office and introduction to colleagues there, she settled in at home last night for a well deserved sleep, it may be a bit of jet lag. I can't wait to introduce her to Struan Farm and the Knitting Studio where she'll reside:

 
 

I need to decide upon her name. I want something old world because she's vintage and bejewelled, but also cheeky, since she's dared to adventure. Stay tuned and if you have any suggestions, let me know.

I'm mulling over Mabel, Lola, Clementine, Tui or Pippa.... Any favorites amongst those? We've discounted Coco given her English heritage, along with India and Jamaica (too colonial). Clementine is the leading contender right now, since Olivia at the office tells me that Lola is too trendy (much as I like it, I definitely don't want to be trendy, oh no...). Tui would be re-branding her as a Kiwi, perhaps too soon for that.

But I'm just not sure about Clementine without Winston?

New Additions to the Flock

Remember when I went to Nelson and visited Mapua Country Trading Company? I took a picture of the rusty chook sculpture above their entrance, and asked Heather for the details of the artist who'd made it.

 

I then made contact with Jane Downes from Little River Engineering/Ironweed Products http://wwwlittleriver.co.nz , determined to order some chooks for the farm. But Jane de-railed me on the chooks (at least for now) by suggesting that she could also make sheep, and sent me some different versions by email to choose from.

Two weeks later, the ewe and lamb arrived from the South Island, with a note indicating that they will rust further when left outside:

 

I know they will be quite happy frolicking in the garden at Struan Farm (perhaps in our granddaughter Ella's special garden?), but I can already see John rolling his eyes!

My Friends at Estuary Arts

Rosie Little and Bruce Hamlin are artist friends of mine who live in Collingwood, Golden Bay, over the Takaka Hill from Nelson on NZ's South Island. They are renowned as potters but also paint, sculpt, and in recent years started making glass pieces http://www.estuaryarts.co.nz

Each year on my vacation I would call into the Estuary Arts Studio in Para Para, past Takaka, to visit them for life updates and add to my growing collection of their work.

I must confess that I see them less regularly now that I live in NZ, but I do manage to catch up every other year or so, and Rosie and I maintain an irregular correspondence of scribbled life updates at least once a year. Oddly enough, after writing the first draft of this post, Rosie rang to query me about Auckland logistics related to an upcoming trip Bruce is making to attend a conference on glass making.

Bruce is a fisherman and his early pottery involved fish:

  
 

Rosie's usually flowers or fruit:

   


Although she went through a nude period:

 
Not sure whether this vase was made by Rosie or Bruce, but I love the color, glaze, and cattails with dragonfly and frog:

 

 

And then there's the glass:

 

I wasn't able to photograph one of Rosie's paintings in a way that would do it justice. I have them framed with glass and it is too reflective. For some reason her mountain landscapes remind me of Georgia O'Keefe. Bruce has taken up painting again but I haven't (as yet) acquired one of his paintings.

I love the fact that their art evolves and that they work in different media. If you get out to Golden Bay call into Estuary Arts or check out their website. When Rosie heard about this impending blog post, she warned me that quite a bit of my collection is now "ancient history" given their current work, so I'm assuming its value has increased accordingly!

Doone Cottage & Collecting Anne Bannocks

I started travelling down to New Zealand in 1987 as a tourist, annually every year after 1992 or so. I'd pass straight through Auckland to the South Island from the US. My trips started in the Nelson area and then I'd drive down the West Coast from there, walking and doing photography, venturing down gravel roads to explore. While each time I'd explore a new area, I also returned to special places (and people).

Every year without fail I stayed with Glen and Stan Davenport at Doone Cottage in Motueka.  http://www.doonecottage.co.nz The property overlooks the Motueka River and looks straight across to the often snow capped mountains and Mt Arthur. For some reason just being there is restorative. Over many years and long talks over the dinner table, Glen and Stan became dear friends. It is a homecoming every visit. One year Stan walked with me up to the summit of Mt Arthur (I wouldn't have made it there on my own, Stan was 70 at the time). Another year Glen, Stan and I joined a group that walked up Lodestone Peak to discover amazing 180 degree views of Nelson and Golden Bays. The gardens, animals, and homey ambiance that is Doone Cottage make it a cozy, welcoming place. Glen continues to take guests, and it is well worth a stay, just don't book the Garden Chalet when I want to visit! 

 
Not far from Doone enroute to the upper Moutere is the settlement of Ngatimoti, where one day for the first time I called into artist Anne Bannock's Meadowbank Gallery in the Orinoco Valley. She displays her work in a wonderful old weathered shed. Anne and her husband Mike of course were friends of Glen and Stan. (And as it happens here, they lived in Te Kuiti before moving to Ngatimoti, and know John's sister Anna.) 

When John and I decided to get married at St. James Church in Ngatimoti (Glen and Stan's local church), Anne and Mike were in attendance, Stan drove me to the church in his vintage Holden, and Glen decorated the car with ribbons and flowers and served as the "mother of the bride." Stan helped us find the right vicar, one who would be appropriately traditional but not OTT ("over the top"). We cut the wedding cake afterward with a small group of friends and family at Doone Cottage, where we spent our wedding night and honeymoon. 

This is an area and these are people that have a special place in my heart.

Over the years I have acquired a number of Anne's paintings. I love the fact that her style varies, although I am drawn to her landscapes the most.  She has recently set up a website, http://www.annebannock.co.nz  showcasing her work, and is writing a blog (Mike may be in charge of the blog).

The painting below, "Ferns," was my first acquisition. We've decided it is going to hang in the bedroom at the Homestead, where its scale will work with the high ceiling:

 

 These two below hang in Papakura for now. The first is "Marahau," the following "Kahurangi Hills," with our other "Annes" on display in the Cottage:

 
 

 I'll tell you about my friends Rosie and Bruce from Estuary Arts in Golden Bay at some point too, but don't want to inundate you with too much good art all at once, it should be rationed and savored.