Garden Art

A couple of years ago I decided to let the wisteria vine grow up strings to the gutter-line in the front of the house. It was a tricky job keeping the tendrils from exploring inside the roof and although it kept the verandah lovely and cool last year, I'd almost resolved to chop it right back this year. And I still might.

But I'm glad I haven't got around to it yet, because this last week it has been a real treat for eyes and nose as the glorious lilac racemes drip like soft bunches of delicate grapes all across the front of the house. Visitors have to almost enter a pale purple cave to come inside! And when we open the back door, the spring breeze wafts the gentle scent all through the house.

Exam Art

Hobbiton

On Saturday my son and I did the tour of the Alexander's farm near Matamata where the

Hobbiton set for the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. I have been there before, almost exactly a year ago, for I remember that the new spring lambs were leaping all over the place then too.

This time there are many changes. Despite the recent news about actors' unions, preparations are in evidence everywhere and 'Hobbiton' is well on the way to being re-created with even more care and attention to detail than ever before. It was really wonderful to see everything in progress, and be given such a marvelous lot of information. And we took about 180 photos. However, as you see by the contract we each had to sign, I am not permitted to show you a single one, nor disclose anything!

So, all I can say is that we both highly recommend the tour to anyone, even if you are not a fan of the movies. It's a magical place already, and going to be even more so.

Pinhole Camera

It is surprisingly easy to take a detailed photographic image using a simple pinhole camera.

The 'camera' I used was a large tin with a tiny hole drilled in half way down one side. The hole needs to be able to be covered completely with a bit of tape; black sticky insulation tape works well. The tin also needs to have a well-fitting lid. A large cleaned and dried coffee 'Milo' tin or one that used to contain baby formula is ideal.

In the darkroom, I affixed a postcard-sized piece of unexposed photographic paper to the inside of the tin opposite the hole, with a few small bits of blu-tack. It was easy with a red filter on the light, but it is possible to do it by feel.

All that remained was to take my tin outside and prop it up somewhere stable with some suitable view in front, and remove the tape. It will depend upon the weather - ie light conditions, and the size of your tin, as to how long the hole should be open. This image below was taken with an exposure time of two and a half minutes. I experimented to get it right and used up three or four other prints that were too dark - too long an exposure, or too light - too short an exposure time.

I then closed up the hole, and developed the print back in the darkroom. This image comes out upside-down and mirrored. There's not much you can do about it being mirrored, but it's a simple matter for most people to turn the print up the other way.

I have just scanned the print into my computer, flipped it horizontally, and 'inverted' it. Hey presto: We have a reasonable image of the trees at the back of the tech, and a view of the fence-top upon which I sat the tin.

Umbra - a short movie

Watercolour - Red and Brown Onions

I did a considerable number of watercolour paintings of onions before I felt I had achieved that thin translucency of the papery outside skin and also the shine that I wanted.

Watercolour is a tricky medium and I admire people who master the odd mode in which one has to work: fast, yet relaxed; patient, yet know when to stop before it becomes overworked and looks laboured. I suspect I've forgotten how to achieve it these days.

Happy 20,000 viewers to ME!

To celebrate the fact that very soon I will have passed the 20,000 viewers mark (I'm so pleased!), I'm giving away one of my paintings.

It will be one of my grape paintings.

They are acrylic on unstretched canvas, about 160cm (6 inches) squarish, and you get to choose which one you want. (But be warned, due to the foibles of cameras plus computers, they may not be absolutely true to colour, so if you're wanting to match Auntie Harriet's heirloom bedspread, don't be too disappointed when it arrives in your mailbox.)

All you have to do is comment on this blog between now and oh, this time next week, and mention which grape painting you want. I'll put everyone into a hat and draw out the winner. I'll get hold of the winner somehow... on your blog, or by email, and you will need to give me an address to send my painting to. It will be unframed, and rolled up in a tube all nice and cosy.

Of course, this could be seen by some as simply a cunning plan of mine to lure all my 'lurking viewers' out of the woodwork so I can see you all. And there is a certain amount of truth in that... but mostly, it's just a 'shout' to help me celebrate.