p.s.

a very big thank you to Lisa from Israel who actually made it
to the post office and sent us a copy of the Time mag. We got it!!!
Lisa, if you are reading this, something made in the Hokianga, is
on its way to you. xxxx ; )

'photo works' a show by cathy tuato'o ross

a great show we are inaugurating the new year with.
a collection of 17 photo works by Northland photographer
Cathy Tuato'O Ross. Some would say we are pushing our luck
with peacocks and the number 17 - but we're in the Southern
Hemisphere - & everything is upside down and reversed
(as opposed to the Northern one)- so we should be ok.

the photos are beautiful from two different series
'Monuments to Good Intentions' and
'Pictures from the Suburbs' (above)

Best Wishes for 2009

All the best to you out there.This is a beautiful
gouache by Harmen Hilkema of a white heron in flight over
the still harbour waters.
Its all gonna be good when you spot one of these.

hokianga heart

This is the third Heart Trail brochure -
all things proceeding smoothly - they will be
ready on Tuesday.
I love the jewel like quality of this cover - the
blue is a picture of the Hokianga sky on a
summers' day.
Artwork by Lynette Bradley

Ted's Jersey

Ted's Jersey - an exhibition of paintings and photographs
by Barbara Strathdee tells the story of a group of friends
on a tramp into the Arawata River valley in the summer
of 1962. On the trail of legendary prospector William O’Leary
and armed with poetry, supplies and a solitary rifle, the friends’
experience and reaction to the stark beauty of this remote
landscape manifests itself in very different ways.

Strathdee painted these works in 1973. Using fragments of
the poems written on the tramping trip and Ted’s jersey as
a metaphor – Strathdee deftly explores and converses in
different painting styles with a playfulness and wit that runs
counter to the grain of the subject matter.

On show at the Southland Museum of Art, Invercargill until
January 25, 2009.

The set of five postcards of this series is available for NZD 17.50
plus postage - the original artworks will set you back rather more.

Above : portrait of the artist.

Romeo returns !

I was thinking about Romeo yesterday - as
it was his birthday. Wondering how he was and
what he is up to. Great news to find out that
he's back on track with a new line 'io ipse idem'.
I wish him all the best for this new venture.

gold folk

Necklace by Australian jeweler Lucy Folk.
I love everything about it.

post > the tagging

The four taggers got found and 'fessed up to the local cop.
The Outpost walls will be repainted. All will be well.
Tagging is a big issue in NZ.
A man is currently awaiting a jury verdict -
he stabbed and killed a teenager tagging his property.
That's an extreme reaction.
Random acts.

random acts

This is an invitation to the Dead Letter Office Christmas
sale. I got it on Friday and didn't fully engage with the
message. Well its now Monday and I turned up to an
Outpost whose back exterior walls have been totally
tagged. Really badly. It looks like sh* t and frankly it
makes me feel like sh*t. This destructive energy of
vandalism (it could have been art instead) is all about
unleashing boredom and anger. Today is tough sh*t day
at the Outpost.

STINGRAY LAUNCHES

It's official - STINGRAY - has launched today.
I've heard she's looking good.
The launch party will be in Whangarei
on Tuesday December 16th.
If you're around drop us a line and we'll send you
the details.

cowboys

The thing about living out west is that there are alot
of cowboys. In the building trade it's an insult to be
one - but say you've got a huge hairy wild pig lunging
towards you then a cowboy who can shoot straight has
gotta be your saving grace.