Upcoming exhibition opportunities...

Coming up I am excited to have artwork on display over April 2013 at the Arataki Visitors Centre located on the Scenic Drive, Waitakere. Also in May, after invitation, I am planning to send a few pieces to Statements Gallery in Napier to display. The Royal Easter Show (now Coca-Cola Easter Show) is coming up too from 28 March to 1st April 2013 and I have 2 pieces in that as well.

So, it's been a busy year so far and because of that I have decided that there is too much on my plate to continue running The Gallery at 81 Commercial Rd, Helensville. It was a great little venture and I have loved meeting new artists, talking to people about the work and also finding out that 'I can do it'. I will miss the chance to have a dedicated day out both manning the desk and working in the space. I also appreciated some quiet thinking time away from the kids lol and the knowledge that I have contributed to creating a professional, exciting creative environment that locals and visitors to the area have enjoyed. But I am prepping for when the kids are both in kindergarten next year. I know that I want to concentrate more on painting (and making jewellery on the side). You know, it's really easy to get busy doing other things and about then, I quickly feel overwhelmed and realise I'm not getting any work done and my creative drive is crying out for a chance to vent!


It's incredibly satisfying to be able to build up a body of work that I personally like and after a few sales in the last 6 months, I feel more confident that other people like and value my work enough to live with it too. So I am looking forward to more painting time in 2014, but hungry to keep up the good work now which means practicing saying "no" to anything that takes away from that aim.

Time flies - The Gallery, Open Day and Exhibitions!

Wow, it's been a busy couple of months!

During my solo show called Water | States,  I sat there wondering what it would be like to carry on using the same space, that other artists might enjoy the experience I was having too. But, I couldn't afford it on my own - and still can't.

The Gallery - 81 Commercial Rd, Helensville.
Open 10am-4pm.

So I started The Gallery. It works on a four monthly rotation. If I can't make the rent because not enough artists are interested to exhibit, I give the landlord notice at the 3 month point and then wind things up a month later. It's getting to that point now. I need to find interested artists by the 1st November and some of theme need to be close enough, and free enough to help man the gallery some days during their 4 month residency.
It's proving hard to find will people, even though there is so much support for it. Perhaps it's because we live in a small community? I don't know, there are a lot of artists here, and really good ones. Perhaps we all get so busy in life, it's seems a big hurdle to commit to showing work for a length of time?
I'm working on finding out if funding is available, but that would likely mean changing the way the gallery is run. I wish I was wealthy enough to afford the rent on my own and then offer space to artists based on the merit of their work, and not on whether they could afford it too!
Anyway, my work is currently on display, I do rostered shifts, and I've really been enjoying promoting the current three artists, jewellers and potter, so cross fingers the gallery continues! If you read this, and you are interested - feel free to get in touch!

The Gallery - OPEN DAY, 13 October 2012
We are having an open day on our corner. All the shops next to us are filled - a ceramic artist with her studio/workshop is also taking classes there, Gillaz Flowers and Threadz, a really eclectic place! And Johnny Mac's Metal Art Gallery, he hand-makes steel sculpture and furnature. I thought it would be a great idea if we were all open at the same time, so that locals and visitors can check us out easily to see what we regularly have on offer. The local playcentre is going to fundraise with a sausage sizzle and the kids from the local Kaipara Collenge are busking to raise money for their music trip to New York next year. What a buzz!

Artists Den & Art Gallery
My work is going to be on display here (3 pieces at this point) for the Affordable Art Show from the 23rd October to the 18th November. All work for sale is under $1000.

I am putting one entry into the WCCAC art awards. Dropping it off to CEAC this Saturday 29th September. Looking forward to open night - seeing everything on display, finding out what other people are working on!

Water | States: Solo Show Opening Night

The opening night of my solo show went brilliantly! Three sales so far which is wonderful. Somehow validating when you’ve put time and energy into making work you believe in, and people love it enough to want to live with it. I will miss some of the pieces though, as I have lived with many of them myself for nearly a year now while producing them, but they are made to be enjoyed so off they go!

I've had some very positive feedback about the art work generally and gathered a few ideas to move forward with. One of which was a suggestion about using a currently empty shop next door - one larger than the one my show is in, or this one I'm using for the show, as a gallery on a permanent basis showcasing the work of a few local artists. 

I’d love to run a gallery here in Helensville where a collective group of high-calibre artists could show their work in an environment that is professional but welcoming. I think it could be entirely possible, but requires the space to be voluntarily manned on a roster basis, probably just in the weekend to start with. I’d love to hear the sound of music, the smell of coffee a bit of baking here and there...

So here I am, dedicated to manning the show during the weekends, 10am - 2pm Saturday and Sunday through till the 5th of August. I figure it’s a good time to collect my thoughts, plan, meet local folk as they come in to view and meet friends I’ve not seen in a while as they drop by. Perhaps I could get used to this! If only I had broadband here lol. As for the Gallery idea, I'm doing my research, if it all stacks up I may put a call out to interested local professional artists...

Some shots from the show:

Water | States Exhibition

Greetings!


I have recently had the fantastic opportunity to set up a solo show
in the heart of Helensville!


I was passing some of the local empty shops and thought, how great would it be to see my work up there. After a couple of phone calls, Des Hawkes (the owner) met with me and agreed to let me display my work for 4 weeks, for which I owe him heaps of thanks! This was only a week and a half ago, so I have been busy creating posters, phoning local papers etc. in order to spread the word. After all, Helensville does not get the same foot traffic as Ponsonby, Parnell, Devonport or the Auckland inner city. I wish I could man the show all week, but with young kids that's just not possible, so a huge thanks goes to my husband who is now in sole-charge of the children for the duration of the show (8 hours x 4 weekends). There is only one potential spanner in the works for this event. If anyone wants to rent the space between now and the closure of the show, then I have to move up or down one shop (re hanging and all that jazz). If all three get rented I'm screwed!


To add, the local Helensville 'Monkee Business' antiques/curio's owner has offered to help me furnish the pop-up gallery space. Awesome! I'm hoping it'll look welcoming, interesting and provide a bit of a spark to perhaps fuel other creative opportunities around the township. I need to decide a theme and I'm thinking water, translucent, shiny, fluid with the organic feel of fibers, weaving etc as a contrast. If I can use the middle shop, which I am hoping to do, I also need to paint the two end walls - pink and grey stripes just don't really go...


Today I have created a listing on TradeMe to offer one of the pieces as a pre-exhibition sale, for which I hope they forgive the wee marketing ploy that it is!


My other piece of news is my fab artist profile that has been included in Gallery36's emag (2012 Volume 4-No.3 issue). The issues can be downloaded from the site. I really enjoy this e-mag as it profiles local plus wider emerging NZ artists. It's a great read to see what's happening around the place. It's given me a chance to really explain why I do the kind've work I do. I will display a copy at the show for reference.


Anyway, come see my show - here are the details:

Kiwiartist | Arwen Flowers - New Artworks 2012

It's been forever, it feels like, since I have posted - been busy with painting though. So thought I would update with a simple reminder to check out my Picasa page which is fully current with all my latest stuff. Here's a few examples of recent work. A lot of the developments come from not being able to locate suitable canvas. I will have to physically go to visit a few manufacturers I think to make a judgement call. I'm finding it too hard based on the samples I have, which are not really large enough. I hope I find something because although I like the work on paper I have done, I really miss tearing the canvas - the edges, the texture, the way the paint looks and sits. It's been a good last few months in that I have been able to show some work at the local Helensville Art Centre, Wine and Art (Q Gallery) in Kumeu plus a couple at the Royal Easter Show. Need to keep working to gather a few more to show at a place on Te Atatu Rd which I have been keeping in mind since Christmas.

Remember, by buying directly from the artist, you pay a cheaper price generally and the artist doesn't miss out on the 20-35% commission charge that many galleries place on sold artwork!

Cosmic Snowstorm - mixed media with paper on canvas

Freeze Fall - mixed media paper on paper

Healease - mixed media canvas on canvas

Aquahesion  - mixed media canvas on canvas

Favourite things at home - a personal look

I want to share a few things that make my days a joy, the things that live in my house, given to me, found and bought. These things are around me all the time. I realised the other day that they are what 'pep up' my tired moments, the dull bits. They inspire me in shape, smell, colour, references to my family (love, warmth, history). They speak to me of life, who I am.

Other random pages to check out for tangent views of home and objects

Christine Hellyar (one of my tutors at Elam Fine Arts) focused on the idea of the home or nest as both haven and trap, and explored the concept of ‘shelter’ in the 80's...

A little blog 'art of the found object' focusing on the details of found things...

One man’s trash is another man’s castle, check out this home sculpted from found objects at The Selvedge Yard

And here are my pics:

Flowers my daughter picks most sunny days
to put in the kitchen window

The (red) coffee perk that was given to my
mum & dad when they got married -
that mum gave to me - and now it does a
mean brew in about 10 minutes on the gas hob

it's a glass 'cloche' cake stand
mum gave us for our house warming

I was given this tea pot by a best friend when
I was in my late teens - and I still have it
intact despite all the house'flat moves I've done

Bought this piece in Nelson on one of my
very few 'single' holidays,
Mum said 'buy jewellery', so I did that too!

I love the chandeliers in our house,
this one's in the lounge

I was given these as a gift to go with some
of my other beachy things

I bought my china cabinet with money
made from painting, everything in it is a
treasure - family hand-downs, gifts,
keepsakes for my kids...

A lamp made from some kind of course-
weave paper, a wedding present

A painting I did, it hangs in a corner
of the kitchen that catches my eye first
thing whenever I go in there

My sister gave me these, from Perth.
I wear them many days in the week. I don't have much
time to think about clothes with two small kids
& they go with nearly everything I put on

Two Chinese-style fans I love,
random purchase from Trade Me

These literally cost me about $4 each
and I've had them for years - some kind
of resin that the light really filters through
in a great way

I love these handles in the kitchen,
I use them everyday, & everyday I think
how I love them still!

I searched for a while till I found these
place mats about three years ago.

My Mum-in-law made these bags (8 of them)
to carry things to amuse my daughter while I
was feeding her baby brother. They are gorgeous with bows,
tassles, sewn ribbons, pockets and more...

I always wanted one of those house & garden
bed linen looks. Finally I bought
a few things that match - the white bedspread was key,
so was the silver fur throw and cushions

Every year we buy a new heart for our anniversary

The ceiling rose in our bedroom. Sometimes I
think how awful it would be if it fell
down while I was sleeping. But most times I just
love it's size and grandeur

Little pink and blue bird fridge magnets

One of two black slab vases (large and heavy!)
with fantastic blue & orange splatter glass mosaic
pieces embedded

Mum bought me a blank recipe book with
cinnamon quills on the spine, then she wrote
her favourite and my grandma's favourite
recipes inside x

Mango foot loofah soap (from my sis again),
it 's like having a mini foot massage

Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens

Yesterday, Sunday 20th November, I was invited to the opening of Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens Exhibition opening for 2012 near Helensville - just passed Kaukapakapa. Besides the glasses of bubbly and cream scones being a draw card for someone as perpetually hungry as me, I had a great time looking at the sculpture. When I mean looking, I mean staring at each piece through my camera pretty much the whole time and on the run. I had about an hour and a half to go round, which sounds a lot, but not really when there are something like 61 sculptures to view. I had baby sitting, but just till 5pm (and as it was I got back a half past five), which was added incentive to make the most/be efficient with my time.

So there I was looking, looking my brain rattling an internal monologue something like, 'light, more light, faster shutter, no slower shutter, change the iso, zoom in, move over there a bit, nearly, bugger, shutter too slow overexposed, where's the best angle, will those people move?, where's the backlight coming from?, don't breathe, nah that's blurry, oooh good shot! don't twist an ankle, wow that's beautiful, wish so and so could see that...' and words to that effect.

Really, despite the fantastic sculpture being the main draw card, I think it was also the exercise of photographing each piece that made it a distinctive experience for me. I had to think on the run, process each piece quickly, ask questions about lighting, how it fit the space and so on. My experience was immediate and strongly based on how I could compose a good shot. The photos shown here, are not just my favourite pieces, but also the ones that made good images - the ones that didn't photograph so well were mainly due to my fault (blurry), not because they weren't any good as sculptures!

If you want to visit for yourself, see Kaipara Coast Sculpture gardens website for details. Essentially it's about an hour's drive from central Auckland and takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to walk round the 1km trail, no wheelchair access but kids buggies are fine. They are putting a cafe into the plant centre apparently which I vote for with both hands up, but currently there is really nice seating undercover for picnics (wine please!). The plant centre is a great view and there are loads of little garden decorations to buy - I love the glass wall flowers for $9.95 each!

View from my seat on the grass during opening speeches