Spam and Blogger Sammies anyone?

Lovely spam, wonderful spam
Lovely spam, wonderful spam

Spam
Spam
Spam
Spam

Lovely spam
Lovely spam
Lovely spam

Spam, spam, spam, spam

(Monty Python)

One of the reasons I post less on my blog and more on facebook is because sometimes I'm not even sure my posts here get read. My pages get viewed I can tell that from my stat counter, but actual blogging has almost become, at least in my experience, the sort of MySpace of forgotten posts, only trawled through by spammers and bots who leave such gems as: 

'You made some really good points there. I checked on the net for additional information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this web site. Look into my homepage (www.spammy mcspam)'

or

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and

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All in reply to how to make a Hat Box Birthday cake. Reading has become a non essential part of the blogosphere it seems.

When the wonderful world of blogging was opened to me, I thought that I'd be suddenly picked out of the masses for my pearls and gems and be offered book deals or columns in online media. I've posted some of my wittiest and poignant pieces on this blog since I started it in 2005. I've shared poems, pictures, insights, crafts, creative news and the odd outrage about the policies in this fair country of ours. I've been happy, I've been sad and I've been honest, all to be noticed I suppose.

But I never expected it to become a spam sandwich short of a picnic. Which is what the trawlers are.

Happily I can report that my most popular post and template is for how to make an ANZAC Day poppy, closely followed by how to make paper poinsettias. I get up to 200- 300 downloads a week for these. I often wonder where they go and who uses them, if at all. Or if spammers are making darts from them. So I was extremely heartened when I had this lovely comment and picture from Melanie Kirkpatrick in Australia on my facebook page:

To commemorate Remembrance Day, students across our campus made over 2000 poppies and 'planted' them as a tribute to our brave servicemen and women. It was such a visually moving tribute to our service personnel. Our Campus is situated near a joint Army/RAAF base and we have just under 80 children enrolled who are from 'Defence Families'. I am employed as a Defence School Transition Aide and I assist these families to settle into our school and the local community as quickly as possible so as to minimise disruption to the families and to the children's education. I also support families when a member is on Deployment or an extended exercise. Educating the students and the community about Remembrance and ANZAC Day is a role I take very seriously and it is a role which is very close to my heart, as I also belong to a 'Defence family'. Thank you for your poppy template, the children really enjoyed this activity and I'm so proud of every single one of them. Kindest Regards, Mrs Melanie Kirkpatrick Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Melanie, I'm proud of them too and thankyou for using the template :)

Back to the Drawing Board- in a good way!

My old and beloved copy

I was going to burble on about inspiration and education and my heros of the art world. Instead I'm going to just give you two links to two things. 

One is David Jones' Sketching The Portrait in Oils class that I started last week and I have already learned a whole new way of drawing. I thought I was pretty good at it but David is a master, and he's really young. He's teaching this old dog some much needed new tricks (I have got lazy in my drawing approach). I have fallen in love with drawing again after one class. My pencil and sketch diary are my constant companions!

The other is this- and I am VERY excited. The IllustrationMaster Class in Amherst, near Boston. Children's book writer and illustrator and long time buddy, Ruth Paul went this year and I was inordinately jealous. But it's her turn for green eyes now, because I have signed up for 2014 and she's too snowed under with book deadlines to go ( a nice problem to have!). But even more exciting is that the Brian Froud will be there- the illustrator of the first book I bought when I was a design student that impressed me more than anything I'd seen since I was 6 and received RieCramer's 'The Silver Thimble Story Book'. Brian and Wendy are running a special focus on illustration and I'm doing it! I'll be taking my battered and loved old copy of The Land of Froud, my paints and brushes and a sponge; my grey matter.

I love learning and most particularly when it concerns what I love most- creativity. And when I come back from it, I'll share. To 2014- a year of magic :)

Bizarre Bras and Blogs

Gosh, I feel like I need to revamp my site here- it's a bit old hat and I need to start devoting a whole special section to workshops and public speaking- lordy I love a micrphone! But I like my wee blog as well- so maybe I'll venture into Wordpress and redesign a few things so I can profile fun stuff like the Bizarre Bra workshop we had at The Roxy. I designed a template which my attendees cut out and taped together over bubbles and canapes and then created fabulous wonders with a whole bunch of materials I bought along.

I really love getting together with people, having fun and making things. There is much pleasure to be had from the tactile world- the very act of putting two materials side by side then sewing, glueing, cable tieing or riveting them together is creation. It is fundamental to our very being. No wonder we enjoy it so. It's what people are designed to do :)


 

Post WOW

Well, WOW is over for another year and what a fine season it was! After last year's disappointment of not getting into show (lesson here: don't do something that is 'just a bra', do something that is THE bra), 2013 has turned up great times. Wearable Wonders has gone into reprint,  I did talks at Te Papa to school groups, a presentation to over 300 people at the Designer's Forum, a pre show dinner talk at Shed 5 for 90 corporate guests, a pre show showing of a private WOW commission for Finishing Touch made from their fabulous stationery products, the exhibition of some of my past garments at The Roxy Cinema, a Bizarre Bra workshop there and a charity auction of Vena Immaculata, my 2011 entry- which raised $1000 for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

So I feel I have been given and given back. And with 'Angel's Trippy Trumpet' getting an honourable mention at the awards, I also received the completely stunning new WOW book. It is a must for anyone considering entering or simply to drool over. You get to see such glorious details- this really is a fabulous book. I'd love to see it and some of the garments at The V&A in London. They would fit right in and stand right out all at the same time.

So what now that this month of wearable art indulgence is over? Well, I was in the studio on Sunday with my $2 shop Barbie doll, spray painting her a particular colour for my 2014 creation... yes, I have been bitten early. I might also do another bra too. And in the meantime I'm working on an idea for Bling My Bra- there are talks of a catwalk and guest entries; I can't enter the competition myself because I'm a judge, but I do have some exciting materials to play with and I need to keep my hands busy, and this is a fabulous event in aid of The Breast Cancer Foundation and this year there will be a groovy band at the exhibition night. Interested? Consider it a prelude to the 2014 WOW Bizarre Bra section. Go on, you know you're busting to have a go!


This post is decicated to Joanne Cunningham, my good buddy and seeker of adventure at Wellington Polytechnic Design School back in the day. She passed away September 22nd 2013 from breast cancer. She was 54 and it was too soon.

Awards, rewards and paying it forward

Angel's Trippy Trumpet

Well! It's been a pretty exciting week full of WOW- World of Wearable Art. I was absolutely thrilled to get an Honour Award for my piece 'Angel's Trippy Trumpet' in the Man Unleashed- Psychedelic Revival section. It's a Datura flower that opens up to reveal the trippy journey inside! No models were harmed (or stoned) in the making of this ;)

The show was as usual absolutely incredibale and I was was stoked to spend a day with the international designers, have a peek behind the scenes at my old work haunt Weta Workshop and then talk to a very large crowd of over 300 at Te Papa. Hopefully I've inspired them to enter next years show! That evening I did a dinner talk for a corporate group and we had Vena Immaculata, my 2011 entry (which also recived an Honour Award) modelled by Ria Simmons, a wonderfully talented dance and drama student for the duration. The client was also a sponsor of The NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, so it was fitting to have Vena there, as it is about "A battle to keep fatigue and anaemia at bay; red blood cells are knocked back by the treatment. Photos of the cancer cells reveal them to be like delicate frilled bouquets.Beauty Disguising the Beast?"

Last week an old friend of mine from design school days, Joanne Cunningham, a talented artist and photographer lost her battle with breast cancer. She was 52. Two other close friends have undergone treatment for this and it seems that so many people I know have had brushes of varying strokes with the disease. It is hard to know what to do other than make casseroles for family when someone you know is going through this. And heaven knows, I am no great culinary provider. I wondered what I could do effectively to make a useful difference. And then I had it- I could auction off a relevant artwork and have the proceeds go to The NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, who support so many who are affected.

So,Vena Immaculata is going up for auction- with ALL the proceeds going to The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. We are holding it at The Roxy in Miramar with an auctioneer and if you aren't in town you can participate on Trademe for the bidding. We will have a big screen with the auction page live on the night. Preceeding the auction, I'll hold a workshop on Bizarre Bra making- a hands on fun event with bubbles and canapes.

Go to the Trademe auction page here:

and here is more info on the workshop and night :)

Wearable Art Exhibitionists!

WOW week starts soon and this year is as exciting as any other- particularly as I have a piece in show (that makes 19 garments since 1995). It's in the Man Unleashed section and I will put a photo of it up next week after opening night.

I've got my designer's badge, my tickets and a frock! I spent too much on dresses for the season (one for the preview show, one for a speaking engagement on opening night and one for the Award night) and ran out of budget so am currently blinging a favorite pair to match the outfits. You'd think I could MAKE a dress wouldn't you? But sadly my skills are only good for outrageous costumes and I don't want to turn up to the functions in foam and recycled plant pot holders.

If you want to see some garments up close, I've got a bit of a display of some of my WOW pieces at The Roxy in Miramar, in The Grand Lobby Gallery. I love the Roxy; it's a wonderful cinema with great food and wine and gorgeous surrounds. It's also my local and I'm tickled pink to have my work in there!

On the exhibition front there is also a fine display of garments at Te Papa; The WOW Factor Exhibition. You'll get a good understanding of the craftstmanship and creative thought that goes into our obession. Go have a look, it's absolutely, positively free- as is the Roxy exhibition. You may just be wowed :)

Show him the money!!!

 

I generally keep my political opinions to myself and my friends, but on this occasion I cannot be quiet about how sad, angry and horrified I am about the closure of Learning Media. Our Government seems to know the price of everything and the value of nothing. 'Show me the money!' is the exhortation. The primary reason for Learning Media's existence (formerly School Publications) in the first place was to provide educational resources to New Zealand territories, not chase international markets and distribution in a profit making capacity. I'm sorry but an ROI is not necessarily measured in dollar terms.

Bill English says Learning Media is not financially viable anymore. I'm barely financially viable myself after work has been stripped away systematically from my career path. Advertising agencies losing government work = no illustration and design work, TVNZ's Good Morning Show moving to Auckland in a scaled down version of it's former self = no TV work. Learning Media closing down = no writing and illustration work. And that's just me, never mind the hundreds of other writers, illustrators, designers and TV production people out there. In 2011 the RH Paula Bennett said in relation to the arts:

'Now's no time to be thinking about a dream job.'
"This Government's priority is getting people off welfare and into work and right now that means get a job, any job because that's the first step to a better job." 

I'm sorry, how exactly is shutting down Learning Media getting people off welfare and into work?  At 53 years old with two tertiary degrees and 33 years of hard work forging a career for myself, I am not interested in having a 'dishy' job at $14 per hour, working alongside my son in a local cafe. We are hardly going to pay off his student loan like that now are we?

So, Mr English. What do you propose we all do in this latest slash and burn? Retrain? Sorry we can't get financial assistance to do that under the new rules. Work in elder care? What don't YOU wipe 90 year old bottoms? You've already wiped the floor with us.

For more on Learning Media's demise read Mandy's blog here:

Talofa lava!

Dogs relaxing at Tafatafa Beach

I've been away and I've come back. Wellington, Samoa, Wellington. Cold, hot, cold. Busy, lazy, busy. Data, no data, 200 hundred emails, 187 facebook notifications and lets just forget about tweets. Lets think about treats instead. Like Lady Finger bananas, so sweet and tangy, that you just can't help but devour a whole bunch. Or ripe papaya, the colour of sunset. Or sunsets that colour the sky with liquid gold and pineapple Pina Coladas. Stop me now before I delve into more purple prose!

I've washed the sand out of my toes, the salt water out of my togs and scanned a few images from my sketchbook for you.

Waiting for the ferry

There's no hurry about anything in Samoa and I loved watching people just sitting and waiting patiently. Rounded ladies in brightly printed cotton, hair pulled into in top knots, fanning themselves gently. I fanned myself quite a bit too- it was hot and I realised I really didn't need to have bought a couple of cardigans with me- not even for evenings. One's wardrobe is much cheaper in the islands...

I was amazed to see graves prominently placed in front yards, sometimes even set into the porch of houses. Family, even when dead, are close by. The tombs provide a useful spot for drying teeshirts, lava lavas and palm leaves. I saw the odd dog and rooster perched on top. Pigs free range around them and on this occasion; a couple of girls deep in gossip, legs swinging in the sunshine.

On the 'Lady Samoa' ferry from Savai'i this lady had a wonderful hair decoration that matched her top, and a pale pink shawl. She looks asleep, but she was actually avidly texting. On the TV screen in the ferry lounge, there was a nature documentary about panda bears in China. The male panda was finally enticed down from his hideaway to meet his black and white date. The screen blacked out as 'the male mounts the female' and came back to full screen when the pandas had seperated. Next on was a movie called 'Predators' full of grotesque killings, dismembered bodies and nasty beasts with terrifying teeth. It played in full, uncensored.

I've been looking at tablets since I got back. I'd quite like one for many and various reasons- but really and truly just for checking emails and facebook. The sales guy said that the 8 inch one with a wee stylus and all the graphic apps was great for the creative on the go. 'Look' he said, 'you can draw and colour and save it.'
I said 'Oh, I have one of those' and pulled out my Moleskine and watercolour box from my handbag.

He let me keep browsing...

Blown off Course- creative adventuring

from The Silver Thimble Story Book by Rie Cramer

I was asked to speak at the NZLA conference this past week and I wondered what direction I'd take. I decided upon 'Blown off Course; diverting adventures in Children's Literature.'  I wanted to impress upon people how a small girl encouraged in reading and expressing herself both through words and pictures could end up on a myriad of creative paths, often by accident. 

At five years old, I was all set to be a nun (inspired by the Sound of Music) but realised that a) I was not Catholic and b) I would not necessarily be allowed to wear makeup, jewellery and great frocks. I had to rethink my career. At this time I had in my possession (and still do) The Silver Thimble Storybook by RieCramer; retellings of Hans Christian Anderson tales with exquisite illustrations.  I copied these drawing again and again to see how they were done- and it was the first book I can remember reading 'All by myself'. My parents also provided me and my sisters with weekly comics and annuals. I learned to read and interpret visual and written text through the English editions of Robin, Bunty and June. 

I drew and made things all the time as a kid; it was a place of comfort for me, and by the time I was in high school I knew I wanted to be an artist, but didn't want starve in a garret- I wanted to be rich and famous. So on leaving college I went to Wellington Polytech Design School where I majored in illustration and advertising. I was all set to go to Auckland and be a junior art director in a flash advertising agency and make lots of money but instead I fell in love and followed my heart, not my plan and moved to Christchurch. 

I couldn't get a job anywhere- the old case of not enough work experience for the cool jobs and too creative for the uncool jobs. So I went freelancing. I did a bunch of piddly jobs, including illustrating water wings for dogs and designing posters for friends. I knocked on doors, talked to every designer and illustrator in town, took my portfolio to ad agencies repeatedly. Luckily I was young and cute so the art directors didn't mind giving me the time of day. I was broke but looked good in op shop chic.

Just when I was about to give up and get a sales job at Whitcoulls, a copywriter from What Now called and asked if I would like to art direct a club magazine. (I had been doing a few graphics for the programme). My motto is that if something is offered that is above your skill set, then someone has offered it because they see your potential. So say yes. You'll learn on the job.I art directed, illustrated and sent things off to print on that mag for 2 years until they ran out of budget. Then the producer asked if I'd like to do art and craft spots on the show (because of all the arts and crafts bits I did in the mag) and I said..yes. I'd never done work to a camera before and there was plenty to learn. That became 7 years of regular TV spots. In that time I had 2 babies, tutored design and illustration at Christchurch Polytechnic, illustrated children's books and did lots of illustration for advertising and design companies. 

Eventually I got fed up with TV land (yes you can) and resigned my contract. One day I wrote a poem and doodled an illustration and send it to Next Magazine with a note saying that I saw they didn't have a regular verse column and this would be a good idea. The editor took it up and this became an 8 year monthly column.  At this time I also started entering the World of Wearable Art.

In this time we moved to Wellington, I wrote a junior fiction novel (Verity's Truth), moved to Bristol for 2 years and moved back to Wellington where upon I did a Masters in Creative writing at the IIML. As part of my work placement requirement I did a stint at Weta working on Jane and The Dragon coming up with storyline ideas. Then I decided on my bucket list was working on making things, so politely campaigned  Richard Taylor with my Wearable Art portfolio until he gave me a job in the workshop on The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. I sewed metres of fabric and riveted things and drank a heap of coffee. In this period of my career, I wrote and had a two more junior fiction novels published with Scholastic, Janie Olive and Glory.

Film work is exhausting and I left to write another novel and illustrate more books. Then I was asked to come and talk about wearable arts on The Good Morning Show and do a craft demo. This led into 6 years of weekly spots; fantastic stuff. In the past few years, I've worked on The Hobbit as a costume illustrator, had garments in every WOW show (since 1995) - WOW have toured me around the countryside to give inspirational talks to designers, I've run workshops at schools and festivals, illustrated more books- the last two in particular I'm really proud of; The Red Poppy by David Hill and Far Far From Home by Elizabeth Pulford.

I'm nowhere near rich, I probably never will be. But I'm a little bit famous and I will never die wondering. I have a ridiculously diverse portfolio and CV which has made me unemployable in the ordinary world. And that's o.k, because being creative isn't an ordinary thing to be.I've found being blown off course each time I set sail, one can transform from  a mere deck hand into an adventurer. In literature: reading, writing, poetry, blogging. In commercial art and illustration. In costume design and props making, in film, television and radio. In teaching and handing on the knowledge you've gained to new, young explorers in the worlds ocean. 

In Wearable Wonders, my new book, all my past creative experience comes together. It is a safe ship. I hope to interrupt linear navigation and have young people set sail, following their hearts, not the map drawn up by others. To find courage in the stormy seas and serenity in the calm waters of a creative life. 

­­

Listen to Kate Di Goldi's review of it here :)

Wearable Wonders is launched!

I had the best day ever on Friday- launching my new book on my birthday no less! I had to dress up of course, purely to wear the goggles featured in the book.
'Wearable Wonders' published by Scholastic is available from a variety of booksellers including my favorite local The Children's Bookshop. The wonderful Barbara Murison has written a nice review of it here at Around The Bookshops.

photo courtesy of Maricia Churchward