Pekapeka-tou-roa: Life Flight and Plight exhibition.

I’m delighted to be part of this exhibition drawing attention and funding to the pekapeka-tou-roa, the long tailed bats which live in the Waitakere ranges to the west of Auckland. In January this year I got to accompany some bat conservationists into the forest at night to catch, weigh and tag some bats and had the enormous privilege of rereleasing one back into the wild.

I have a few works in the show including a limited number of gicleé prints of this image. More info on the show below.

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The exhibition arose out of a collaboration between the arts community and Community Waitākere, who invited a select group of artists to take part in a research project based in Te Wao Nui a Tiriwa (the Waitākere Ranges) in January.

A portion of sales generated through the exhibition will go towards new bat detectors and a citizen science initiative which will research pekapeka tou roa populations in and around West Auckland.

Featuring art work by artists Mandy Patmore, Jermaine Reihana, Charlotte Graham, Sophie Watson, Rosanna Raymond, Josh Paki, Ruth Woodbury, Numa Mackenzie, Erin Forsyth, Melissa Hastings and Joshua Solomon.

These tiny mammals, roughly the size of your palm and weighing about as much as a couple of two dollar coins, are facing a slew of threats including introduced pests, kauri dieback, tree removal and poor water quality (they feed on insects that come off streams). The pekapeka tou roa is cirtically endangered, just like the kakapo, and their population is set to drop 70 per cent if we don’t intervene.

The Wise Collective, a collective of former refugees and migrants, is also involved and will be working with Community Waitākere to make bat stuffed toys available for purchase during the exhibition. The tiny stuffed bats will sell for $10 and raise money for pekapeka conservation.

Corban Estate Arts Centre is a ten minute walk from the Henderson train station. Where possible, please try and use public transport or carpool to visit the exhibition.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY WAITĀKERE'S PEKAPEKA TOU ROA O WAITĀKERE PROJECT**
The project aimed to radio-track pekapeka tou roa to get more information about the behaviour of this little-known species, including where they roost, how kauri dieback is affecting them, and information about their breeding status. The project also trained local volunteers and conservationists to undertake bat radio tracking, and raised awareness about pekapeka and their habitat.

Unearthed at Studio One Toi Tū

My creative residency at Studio One Toi Tū is nearly over and I’ll be exhibiting along with the other residents from the 15th of Aug to the 19th of September, with the opening on Wednesday the 14th at 5pm . I’ll be exhibiting the work I’ve produced as well as my research.
The project I’ve been working on is based around the disappearance of my grandfather in 1951, to get info I’ve been looking at old photo albums, in newspaper, document and police archives, as well as conducting interviews with my mother. There are still some relevant pieces of research missing - my grandmother’s diary is buried amongst my brother’s books up north somewhere and some useful photo albums are also missing.

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A New Leaf

 

Some shots of my pieces for Seed Gallery's group exhibition, A New Leaf. These are collages using up leftover pieces of paper and mixed gouache colours with a bit of pencil and coloured pencil. I've gone for a seabird theme this year, there are 10 pieces and they sell for $100 each, with $10 from each going to the wonderful KidsCan charity.

Opening: Wednesday 8 November at 6pm
Exhibition: 9 – 10 November 2017
Open 10am – 3:30pm daily
Allpress Studio, 8 Drake Street, Auckland City

 

Atomic Forest!

 

New Zealand's finest illustrators come together for an Auckland Artweek exhibition of post-apocalyptic, pop-art pleasure. Get a glimpse into a post-nuclear wonderland, full of weird and wonderful characters.

Come hang out with us and grab a cold beer courtesy of Garage Project on the opening night this October 7th and check out our latest round of artwork as well as some of our greatest hits for sale.

Funded by Heart of the City and delivered in partnership with Artweek Auckland.

 

Paperback Assassins

 

I'm part of an illustration collective called Paper Assassins and we've been working on a new exhibition coming up as part of Artweek Auckland in October. We're transforming a shop in the Chancery in Auckland's CBD into an alternative universe bookshop, there'll be a range of fantastical book themed artworks, specially designed ex libris bookplates and a place where you can print and colour your own bookplates.

The 10 awesome illustrators on board are: Rebecca ter Borg, Marc Conaco,  Pablo Espinosa, Toni Gill, Chris Hutchinson aka Chippy, Sloane Kim, Toby Morris, Colleen Pugh, Ezra Whittaker-Powley and myself. 

The opening night is Saturday the 8th of October from 6-9pm, sponsored by Budweiser and we also have a late night (til 9pm) on Wednesday the 12th with the Quick Draw Sketch Gang doing live portraits and a kids activity day on the closing Sunday the 16th with lots of activities planned. Come along!

 

Seeing Stars

 

I'm taking part in Seed Gallery's annual Christmas exhibition again, this year we have 10 star shapes to turn into artworks. I've taken my starting point from the name Seeing Stars, thinking about the patterns you see when you rub your eyes,  and have created a different pattern for each star.

They all have quite a summery mood to them, some are based on recognisable objects and others are more abstract. It's reawakened my love for pattern making, there is something about making a rule but only following it loosely which I really love, want to do more pattern stuff in future!

Anyway, here is a selection, I had to cut them up to stick them onto the stars so now I only have shards of painting left. If you want to buy a star come along to the exhibition details above.

She Sells.

Lemon Pepper

Lemon Pepper

Dizzy Spell

Picnic Spot.

Picnic Spot.

Produce Aisle.

 

Her

 

I'm in this quickfire exhibition at Yes Collective with a bunch of other bad ass ladies who do illustration in Auckland. Up for a night and a day only! 

Here are some links for the talented ladies whom I'm honoured to exhibit with:

http://www.erinforsyth.com/
https://www.facebook.com/toniillustrations
https://instagram.com/franceshaszard/
http://kpochyba.tumblr.com/
http://dearcolleen.co/
http://electrasinclair.tumblr.com/
http://www.rebeccaterborg.com/

 

 

Wally Dugs at the Tiny Travelling Gallery

 

Back when I was poking around the Auckland Museum looking for something to paint I noticed these weird brown ceramic dogs in the bottom of a cabinet, there was something about their strange stylised faces, wiggly fur and chains with lockets which I found quite captivating, thus began my latest obsession. They are known as wally dogs/ wally dugs/ mantle dogs/ hearth spaniels/ fireside dogs/ Staffordshire dog figurines. They always have the lock and chain draped over their back. They are the perfect vehicle for my wiggly gouache paintings. 

 
 
Studio pic

Studio pic

I made these cardboard frames with gold chains to match their gold chains. This was actually the third one I did, it's hard to tell but the black is slightly bluish.

I made these cardboard frames with gold chains to match their gold chains. This was actually the third one I did, it's hard to tell but the black is slightly bluish.

This was my second painting, the first didn't make it into the exhibition.

This was my second painting, the first didn't make it into the exhibition.

Here they are on the wall amongst some other Tiny Travelling Gallery arts. This photo was by the excellent Emmeline Bailey, check out her stuff here: http://baileysalchemy.bigcartel.com/

Here they are on the wall amongst some other Tiny Travelling Gallery arts. This photo was by the excellent Emmeline Bailey, check out her stuff here: http://baileysalchemy.bigcartel.com/

 

The Tiny Travelling Gallery

 
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I'm totally thrilled to be part of this epic exhibition (50 artists!) which opens this Saturday at 2pm. I'm also delighted that my painting of Scout, my friend's cat was chosen for the artwork on one of the posters, knock em dead Scout!

However my artworks for the show are all dog related, I've become enamoured of Wally Dugs (a.k.a. Wally Dogs a.k.a mantle dogs a.k.a. Staffordshire dog figurines) and have put 2 paintings and a riso print in the exhibition, pics to come soon.

http://tinygallerynz.com/