things just keep happening !

Things haven't been quiet or boring after the mural competition in Katikati (see previous post)  Straight after I had a full week of busy busy kids-school-holiday classes at the studio AND looking for another house for us to call home. Then the new schoolterm started this week with all the regular classes starting (7 all in all and, yes, thanks we found a home, so now we are packing seriously !) 

Last night saw the grand opening of the Incubator in the Historic village 

(you know where I helped painting the Day of the Dead piano a few weeks ago - see post HERE too) I hope the photos will be posted soon, it was awesome ! There was music, drums, fire poi dancing, the place was buzzing !!! My painting "Specimen#14" is in their first exhibition called "Cell division" Check it out !

Today I will be packing a big box of mainly driftwood goodies to go over to my friends workshop gallery "Off the Bench" again for next long weekend 

  which means I need to seriously start making new ones for my own studio/gallery. If you are in NZ and are looking for some, check out the stockists list HERE Also I will be delivering my "Rosalita" to Lightwave Gallery today. She will be part of their Day of the Dead Exhibit (to open Thursday 24th, yes that is next week already !) No rest for the wicked huh ? Will try to keep you all updated with all the latest news, because more is brewing...

Raging Redbows and Rainstrings

Today was the opening of the exhibit "Raging Redbows and Rainstrings" at Lightwave Gallery in Totara Street - Mount Maunganui

Jenny and I spent almost 2 days this week setting it all up , hanging about 140 pieces of artworks made during this term in the artclasses by 50 cool kids from Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. We were excited to see how they would react to seeing their work in a proper gallery setting amongst artworks by established local artists. We were blessed, they were so proud, they were so happy, there were so many that came, with parents, grandparents, siblings, family and friends. Theses kids did such a great job creating all these works of art with our encouragement. They are all such an intricate part of the whole exhibition, it made us feel proud as their teachers. Here are some shots of the exhibit, you can see more here on the Facebook page (just click)   

Raging Redbows and Rainstrings

" Well have you ever seen a rainstring before

so colourful it made you want to skip ?

Or tied a redbow on your door

and pretended to be fishing off a big ship ?

then come journey with us into that deep blue sea

where the raging monsters live wild and free

Red strings will keep you safe, draw you up to the sky

where rainbows full of colours soar and fly "

{by Joyce van der Lely and Karen Wright}

  

I haven't been on my blog for a while, just busy, busy with work, not much art time for myself. Busy in a fun way though, don't get me wrong. One large chunk of my time goes into the planned exhibit for my kids art classes arts in July :)

I am organizing this together with Jenny Grant, fellow artist and friend who also teaches kids at her daughter's primary school this term. Stay posted I will keep you updated, or follow the progress on Facebook

the Dark side of the Mount

Rob Murdoch in association with

Nick Eggleston, Nic Clegg, Ashley Grant, 

Simone Anderson, Graeme Thompson, Ken Wright, 

Clive Armstrong, Steve Allan, Joyce Van der Lely.

Hippocampus Ma-ita-i

I am so proud, I have 4 Steampunk-y paintings in this exciting exhibition at Lightwave Gallery at the Mount here in Tauranga. The exhibit runs at least until 24 February, so if you are in the area, visit ! It's not just an exhibit, it's an experience ! Many stories in anticipation had appeared in the various local papers even before the opening. More details and journals are on the Lightwave site whenever you click on one of the photos here, you will be taken there ;) and I am sure they will have more pictures of the opening and some good stageshots of the exhibit rooms soon as well, so check it out ! For now I will share my works here and a few snapshots I managed to take between talks and meeting other people and sneaking around the many visitors that were there. It was a steamy event on a balmy summer's evening....;)

Miss An D. More - independent explorer

Cpt. Kwbot

Specimen # 14

Cpt. Murdoch's private room with his art collection

Great opening

 The opening of the new Lightwave Gallery was a success. 

Turnout was wonderful and great atmosphere. 

And...Medusa has found herself a new home, yeah !

Ladies to the Lighwave Gallery

New home for these ladies

I have brought these lovely ladies to their new residence yesterday. They got nailed to the walls and will be on display in a new gallery here in Tauranga. Grand opening is this Friday ! Very cool, hopefully I get to share some pictures from that event afterwards. Oh and let's keep our fingers crossed for some of them to be adopted too ;)