Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Fishing Trophy


I invested a dollar in this symbol of male competition and blood lust. Currently I am the holder of this highly esteemed piece of plastic. My dear friend Grae has occasionally wrestled it from its' rightful place on our mantlepiece. The cracks in the wall are from the Feb 22 earthquake. The trophy did not move at a millimeter, an indication of where it feels safe? Sadly there has not been too much fishing this year.

Blackboard specials


This is the specials of the day blackboard at Lens cafe. Dishes inspired by the earthquake of Sept 4 2010. There are also some biased drawings referring to my fish catching prowes. Jealousy is a cruel mistress.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Some chairs






The light that bombards my studio on a sunny day drives me mad. I get this gut wretching sick feeling it is wasted if I'm not photographing someone of something. Sunlight, whether it is direct, diffused or reflected has a quality that no amount of artifical light can come near to simulating.
One day a week or two ago, the light was engulfing the room as I was doing some paper work. The urge came upon me to do some portraits. Sadly there was no one around, available or willing. However the chairs that they would sit on were. What seems like a few hundred years ago I took some portraits with out people, which were basically an empty chair and a wall.
With the photos above I've gone straight to using the chair as the subject for the portrait.
These are a few of the heaps of chairs I can't help collecting. Most are purchased at the local recycling shed for only a few dollars. Some need a bit of fix and a reupholster. Storage is a challenge. I keep about half a dozen in the studio which sometimes doubles as a cafe called Lens, for friends to come and sip and chat in the sun. Other chairs are stashed in the attic, garage, hallway and front room. If I get a new one I have to smuggle it in, or trouble ensues!