Taranaki Arts Trail.
September 28th – November 8th 2023.
The year in review
It has been a very interesting year for the studio gallery as we gradually move our lives back into slightly more familiar patterns of functioning and the borders become incrementally more open to two way movements of people. Fortunately for us our weather has not been disastrous but just a bit wonky at this stage so our infrastructure has not been exposed to catastrophic failure. In fact I consider here in Ōpunakē we have been very very lucky!
We are very excited to have received this award again. Hopefully it will spread the word about the work we are doing to grow the ecosystem of fibre art in New Zealand. Now our borders are reopened and people are braving the world of air travel again we are starting to see focus travel happening, including that of fibreaholics – our favourites!!!!
As is our tradition, for the fourth year in this incarnation as ‘from out of the blue studio gallery’ Viv will have her annual Solo Exhibition over the time around the Taranaki Arts Trail and the multiple Garden Festivals. Two highlights this year – it is the 10th anniversary of TAT and it is the first year the gardens supporting Viv’s practice @Viv’s garden will be part of The Sustainable Backyard Trail !!
We have been with Taranaki Arts Trail since day one and it is exciting to see how it has grown and evolved.
But though things change, some things remain the same….. Viv is still doing her slow making and gradually filling her cupboards with new works over the course of the year ready for the 2023 Cupboard Collection!!
Botanical dying, eco-printing, paper making, book making, rustic basketry, spinning, weaving, stitch work, quilting. All of these things have been ticking over in the upstairs studio space and the dye shed.
On August 1st 2022 I was so lucky to finally get my very worn right hip replaced and I was so fortunate to have wonderful support from the artist community associated with the gallery while I gradually got my drivers licence for the bionic upgrade. Lots of exercises and care has meant that now I am finally getting back to the mobility I had three years ago before the arthritis got so bad I was partially crippled. One of the worst parts of this period of my artistic practice has been the inability to work on the big looms. Those of you who have been able to visit the studio will know that they are gradually getting sorted out and are underway for working again.
The big project on the Swedish Drawloom has been converting the weight system to Lingoes. This is now completed so the final balancing and (hopefully) minor adjustments are next then I expect to have the shuttle flying again. What a long haul this has been and at times it has seemed like it will never be done, but now……. maybe the end is close.