d.i.y.

The Ancestor (NZ)

The Ancestor: DETAIL

I’ve been rotten sick for several days, a combination of spring allergies (grasses, trees) and a miserable cold and cough. I can’t tell which is which. In scattered moments of feeling better, I painted and drew the piece posted here. I did an earlier small card with a Tiki (human figure sculpture) collaged into the watercolor. This larger piece is not a collage; I drew the Tiki. The reproduction seems to me a bit indistinct of the boy; my amateur photography is to blame, I hope. (Camera is limited, too.) I’ve added a detail of the boy to help on this score.

The painting in a small way reflects the subtle yet palpable dualities, chasms, and divides that exist here: past to present, ancestors to living, old to new generation, Maori to Pakeha, and others.

After several weeks in New Zealand – and I was here a year ago – I begin to have a strong sense for the Maori past, which co-exists a bit uneasily alongside Pakeha (European origin) – and some Maori – presents. The Maori retain powerful connection to the tribe, in the present, and to their ancestral past. I find these connections moving.

Some Maori have facial and body tattoos in the old manner – and are quite proud to show their heritage. Many Maori are of mixed origin, and some are as light-skinned as any of the Scottish, Irish, or English Pakeha. The question, “Who is Maori?” seems natural here, and it does not remotely turn only on skin color.

The Sea is a Vessel

Passing Moments

Two more abstracts. These build on earlier color visions, and now they are focusing on shapes. i had no plan in doing these. the totally coherent and knowing descriptions at the end of this post were written later, after the pieces were finished.

it worked like this: i made various marks on each of two pieces of paper (actually there were four; only two made the cut so far). i knew from the start of “the sea is a vessel” that the blue cupping shape would be prominent and be supported by a kind of ground color. the brilliant yellow shape cupped in the blue vessel volunteered early on to be held there. the greens came in naturally. finally, blacks and whites arrived to give clearer shape to a whole that remained a touch amorphous.

the other piece, “passing moments,” was a mess that i organized slightly with the blacks and whites and then kept messing around with in small details. the net-like detail in “sea is vessel” appeared in the same way, just feeling like putting it there and messing around with it, part in pencil, part in watercolor. i like in both these works the combination of broad strokes and minute detail. they gradually emerged from all this flailing in their present form and called forth the titles they now have.

welcome to planet earth!

art by messing around. that’s what this is. occasionally i can sound as though i know what i’m doing far more than i really do!

“The sea is a vessel” is a single, summary expression of what I see and feel in this place. All the earlier colors are there centered on water, land, and the light effects of the southern sun. The black-backed gull is not forgotten.

“Passing Moments” flicks through multiple scenes, like leafing through a photo album. Each is different from the others and seemingly unrelated in its details, yet feeling tone and palette link them all. My days here are like this.

Storm IV

Storm II

Yesterday a fierce storm zapped us here in Gisborne after many days of splendid weather, so no complaints! I walked back from downtown in the rain and loved it. The wind was something to write home about! Which is approximately what I’m doing now….

Being the monomaniac that I am, I wanted to paint the storm, and so I did. I did four paintings, of which two here. The big one is probably the best of the lot. I find winsome charm also in the smaller one I’ve posted, a quarter the size of the large one. It’s sort of Japanese-y, and I like that.

Last night it was just freaking cold from the wind, which shifted to a southerly – always meaning coming from the South Pole, here in En Zed. In the middle of the night, the wind suddenly abated, and the world warmed again. I threw off the quilt and sighed in relief.

This morning early Rangi awoke to a bright day with good surf, called his mom, and she arrived in 25 minutes surf-ready. Now that’s a mom! They surfed whilst Matt, Manu, Carroll, and I did whatever else we do at such times. Oh you know, played in the sand, nibbled snacks, took showers.

Later Sarah, Allistair, and their two-year-old Orrin tumbled into our world for a visit, and we all had a great time together for a few hours on the swings, in the sand, on the beach, eating fish and chippies and drinking beer, digging holes, and so on. It was a fine day. By noon, it had lasted about a week. Lovely.

The big picture....

A last hurray (perhaps) for the realist vision here at delightful Waikanae Beach spreading along Poverty Bay in sight of dear old Young Nick’s Head and all the rest of it. This morning i could not resist the spell of the whole bay spread out before me. Perhaps my evolution from literal realism toward abstract essences peels back the distancing distractions and leaves me in raw connection with the basic facts of the place? So anyway here is Poverty Bay 2009. A gorgeous place. How incredibly fortunate i am to spend weeks right here, strolling on the beach kicking sand, grinning like a cheshire cat, happy as a clam. i’m loving it! En Zed, you’re OK!

Picking up the tatooed rock theme again…. This one was late afternoon, the best time for the requisite shadows. There are so many different aspects to the same things in nature!

The second painting is from 5 days ago. I was experimenting with abstraction that still allows clear reference to the subject matter. I thought these two together provide interesting comparison.

So, is “Tatoo Rock” abstract, or not? Hmmm?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….This morning Carroll asked me to make a card to use for a “thank you” to generous friends Simone and Ian Ruru here in Gisborne, NZ. I made these three, beginning with the tranquil realistic one, going through the abstract essence, culminating with the Tiki card. As for which one to use, the realistic one is a safe choice (that’s kind of what realism is about). The abstract essence is my subjective expression that may not communicate to anyone else. And the Tiki card is culturally risky and, I think, gorgeous. All are done en plein air.

The storm that hit here a few days ago just kept on coming. Freezing cold winds from the South Pole, rain gusts turning to sleet. Snow capped the highest visible mountain. The first day, I tried painting in the wind. Ridiculous! It blew the paint out of my brush, blasting it in sloppy liquid all over the paper before I could so much as aim! Predictable results: ugly mud. Today the wind was gone and the sun shone. Here are morning watercolors “After the Storm.”

After the Storm

After the Storm II

After the Storm III

Limber from morning watercolor warm-ups, I had a go at a great impromptu tepee that has arisen on the beach here. I am unable to resist titling these “Gimme Shelter.”

Gimme Shelter

Gimme Shelter II

Gimme Shelter III

The big tepee is the sixth painting of the series, and the best at doing what I wanted it to do, capturing the feel of that tepee in that scene.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………Reminds me of what a young friend of Allisun’s commented when we were all saying the prawns were good: “Yes, they didn’t resist at all!”

I hit a HOT spot in my series on poverty bay and nick’s head. Today’s paintings have gone from depictions to abstract essences. LOOK OUT! No left turn unstoned.

Untitled #1, nz

Untitled # 2, nz

Untitled # 5, nz

Untitled # 4, nz

Untitled # 3, nz

………………………………………………………………………………………………………Here’s the story: The color intuition of my first day’s painting – burnt orange – conspired creatively with the base yellow I see from the strong yellow sunlight. Wigged in with the starkness of light, they cried out for brilliant white and sooty black, like the gorgeous black-backed gull. My friend, these are what it is from Waikanae Beach, NZ. I TOLD you we artists paint what we see!