WoW just WoW

on stage at WOW, photo by Peter McDonald

It’s been a huge two weeks, in the best way possible :)

On Friday 22^nd September, I finished up my 6 week creative writing programme with Featherston School as part of the Wairarapa Project. Hopefully some of the kids I spent time with are writing stories with good beginnings, interesting middles and fine endings with a host of interesting characters.

My own interesting character, graced the stage at the World of WearableArts Award show that very night. I had on some shiny silver shoes with no particular expectation of doing anything but dancing in them at the after party. So, when my name was called as the first place winner in the Weta Workshop Other Worlds Section, I nearly fell off them. I did in fact scream.

Contrary to popular belief, I have never won a section at WOW in all the 22 years I have competed. I’ve had a couple of seconds and thirds over my 24 finalist garments and I was pretty over the moon about those. But this year, well, WOW!  I went on stage to get my trophy and hug Richard Taylor. I may have left mascara stains on his lapel; him being very tall and me being very short, and, well, I was crying at the time.

me, stunned with a trophy

In addition to the first trophy I have ever had in my life (including school), I won a money prize and am still deciding what I should buy. I’m thinking, because my old Samsung tablet is dying and my laptop kicked the bucket years ago, that to be more portable I might get a Microsoft SurfacePro. I may be a creative but that does not mean I am an Apple gal. Macs and me only get a long if that is the lipstick brand. Of course if anyone with any influence is reading this, I am happy to be given these products to unbox, use and social media about. Isn’t that what happens when you finally get famous? You get given everything you couldn’t afford before? :D 

The other part of my prize is to be flown to Weta Workshop to complete a 4 week internship. It’ll be a very short flight on the Flyer bus, as I live 5 minutes away as the crow flies. I’m very much looking forward to spending time there and having a go at a variety of disciplines!

My garment, The Organ Farmer was modelled just superbly on the WOW stage and I couldn’t have been happier. My rationale for this fairly nightmarish piece (I didn’t show the pics to my mum in case she thought I’d lost my mind) is as follows in this article and video clip on Stuff.

Cybernetic regeneration of vital tissues       

In 3446 the Cyborgs come to a realisation that humanity might have a purpose. Their experimentation however, produces unexpected results. In a heartbeat, this lowly host experiences strange new feelings previously unknown, opening up a world of sensation as the fleshy graft takes hold.

My process is on facebook- click through to see how I did it. Don’t forget to like and follow my page; it makes me feel wanted!

Photos of my final piece by Werner Kaffl who was an absolute pleasure to work with.

The organ Farmer. Photos by Werner Kaffl

I finished up the amazing week that was, by flying to Queenstown, and doing a week long tour of Southland schools with Storylines, along with Des Hunt, Scott Tulloch and Barbara Else. We visited and talked to 3 schools at day for 5 days from Queenstown to Invercargill. The weather was awesome, the kids bright eyed and bushy tailed and we had a wonderful time passing on what it is to be writers and illustrators, and in my case a costume designer too.

looking at Torty and the Soldier

I round off the next week with a free wearable art workshop at Te Papa on Wednesday for kids, and the Storylines National Children’s Writers and Illustrators Hui where I’m presenting a workshop on presenting. It’s what I love, and find fun but others find terrifying. I will help people get over their fear. After that, I can collapse. Oh hang on…I have a giant owl to paint for The Big Hoot!

Woo hoo!

xxx Fifi