Contact!

Woohoo – we have broadband. It only took 19 DAYS!!!!

Anyway – dialup has been keeping me off line and I’ve also been doing a lot of exploring of our new area with the kids and filling in the school holidays. A reader sent me a link to a survey that rates Dunedin as the best city to live in, in NZ – based on some different variables than usual (thanks Giovanni). I have to say I am falling for the city, every time I venture in there is something interesting, surprising and quirky to see. The survey says “The arts made a strong contribution to community strength and identity with Dunedin’s culturally rich and diverse arts scene.” and so far I’d agree.

Mosgiel is a different kettle of fish. However I’m not going to knock it even if the street we are in could well be Kowhai Street from “The Carpathians”, in fact there are a lot of parallels between Mosgiel and Levin. I did choose a house in a 1940s/50s brick and roughcast era and many of the homes have original features such as windmills, wishing wells and house butterflies. I don’t mean in a cool retro chic kind of way either. We are talking older owners with gardens full of roses and dahlias. I actually quite like it though – especially now that I have located good coffee in the town.

What do you think though – do we need a butterfly?

And yes it is possibly unwise posting a pic of your house on the net.

EDIT: Please note I did NOT take this photo – its from Google Street View

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What’s On

I have been trying to sort out activities for my birthday on Sunday (the BIG 4-0) so I have been looking about for what’s on art-wise.

Hotere – Featuring a range of material from Hocken Collections, it focuses on art that Hotere produced during his time as the Frances Hodgkins Fellow at the University of Otago in 1969. Unfortunately its not open on Sunday – still something to see for sure.

Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Angus, Stitchbury, Campbell, Hodgkins (blah) If only you could go and see the stuff you want to from the collection. It would be nice to see AM’s Chair for my birthday (the first Clairmont I ever saw).

And there I stopped although there is a heap of other stuff about, Sunday isn’t a good day for it really. I will be going to the DPAG after a lovely lunch though.

I might be making a trip to Gore on Wednesday though for this. I am not sure how far it is from here, but it would be a good thing to do before Mr Peryer leaves the vicinity.

In other news I have broadband! But have not yet received my modem, so apparently it will be at least Monday before normal service resumes here. *sigh*

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Interview

A reader has sent me an interview meme and as I am still battling with a dialup connection (arrrrgggghhhh!!!) I thought it would be a on-topic but image-lite post to keep things ticking over here.

The Interview

1) Your blog shows that you have an appreciation for diverse forms of art. Besides blogging, in what ways do you bring art into your life?

I have such a busy non-art life that my thing at the moment, is simply to notice art. You don’t have to go to galleries, art is everywhere. For example I noticed that here along the Otago Peninsula and on the road to Brighton the bus shelters are all painted up – some are really good. Also Dunedin is meant to be full of great street art and I keep a look out for that.

2) Are there any creative medium(s) that you personally like to use or explore? What are they, and what have you created?

Ok I admit it, I used to make art. I gave up because I felt I was just copying what I admired. I painted in heavy oils and used grease crayons. More recently I had a go at Oamaru stone sculpture but had trouble with translating my ideas into 3D. Really, I am an observer, not a “doer”.

3) What is your dream job, and why?

Some weird back room gallery job, or in a museum. Restoring stuff maybe. I watched an exhibition being installed at the Dowse a while back and thought I’d like to do that. More realistically, I’d like to write on a serious basis.

4) If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, and cost and practicalities weren’t an issue, where would you go? What would you do? Who would you take with you, if anyone?

Well if travel wasn’t such a huge hassle and I didn’t have the kids in tow (or had a team of nannies), I think Europe. Maybe Prague? There are lots of things in the UK I’d like to see. Also very specific spots in the USA. I also think I am equally interested in people as well as places. More interesting might be a list of people I’d like to meet and really talk to.

5) Besides art, what things are you passionate about?

Sleep!! No seriously, writing and reading, but time is my enemy.

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So to generate some communication here are the instructions if you wish to be interviewed by Art and My Life:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me” (with a link to your blog or whatever).

2. I will respond by e-mailing you five questions (I get to pick the questions)

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. (Please include a link to my blog with your answers, so people can follow along.)

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

– This interview came from http://thewaxingmoon.blogspot.com –

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I noticed

I noticed that I have been much more focused on architecture than art so far in the South. There are some awesome buildings here, not the least the old Woolen Mills here in Mosgiel. Also, even though in Dunedin itself there are mainly Victorian examples, the odd mid century modernist building exists. So far a favourite is the Union Steamship Company  Building (1883) which was remodelled and all ornate Victorian features removed giving a more deco look.

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