The Hope of Spring

The prunus always gives us the first sign of spring in the garden, and its here now with its delicate blossoms in the cold damp air. The rising energy that the new season brings. It feels warmer and sunnier already! Its the hope of new life… “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds… Continue reading The Hope of Spring

Undercurrents

   “the most important thing we bring to another person is the silence in us. Not the sort of silence that is filled with unspoken criticism or hard withdrawal. The silence that is a place of refuge of rest, of acceptance of someone as they are.” ~Rachel Naomi Rem

A Touch of Colour

Last week I went back to school!    It was a lot of fun and those kids had really done their homework! They knew a lot about me and my work already and asked some very intelligent and searching questions! I was really put on the spot for twenty minutes of intense questioning. It’s so good… Continue reading A Touch of Colour

Deadline day is looming!

Just one more week to go till the final date for entries into the Clifton Art Prize. This coming Friday 31st July. All the details can be found here: www.cliftonsartprize.com – so check it out and get your entry in. There are good prizes for each of the entries for Wellington, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Hong… Continue reading Deadline day is looming!

Up in the sharp air

  Up in the sharp air, where thoughts are crisp   The light glistens and the heart leaps.  There’s a silent peace in the wind and fingers burn for a warm fire …..the belly cries out for coffee and croissants!

A trip to Paradise!

 At the top of the lake, in the heart of Lord of the Rings country, is a place called Paradise….and it truly is!         “When we can truly see and understand the earth, love is born in our hearts. We feel connected. That is the meaning of love: to be at one. Only when we’ve… Continue reading A trip to Paradise!

Snow drifts in

It took a few goes at landing and a return to Christchurch to change planes, but we finally arrived into Queenstown for a few days to celebrate Kate’s Birthday in the Mountains…   there’s a real buzz in town for the skiing season, everyone’s having a happy time and it’s magic to be here in the… Continue reading Snow drifts in

Playing Hamlet

We all have roles to play; this is me in my former role as President of the NZ Academy of Fine Arts, according to Jackson Pollock “Painting is self discovery. Every good artist paints what he is”….So what is that really?….. “It’s very important to remember that we all have Buddha nature. That cannot be… Continue reading Playing Hamlet

We are One

It was great to get into the fresh, clear and wintery air of the South Island and the hot pools at Hanmer Springs. There is nothing like a trip into the wilds to open your heart… “It is essential to acknowledge that the Earth is not unfeeling matter, but a living being that has given… Continue reading We are One

What are you seeing?

Someone asked me the other day, “how do I decide what to paint?” It’s a good question and one I get asked a lot in my classes. I know it has to come from the heart, it has to stir something in me. Then I came across this quote from Degas, and it got me… Continue reading What are you seeing?