Setting aside A Palette of Poetry

When you sell five artworks on the last two days of an exhibition and then three more after the exhibition has closed it makes you wonder. Perhaps I should have said every day was the LAST DAY and maybe we would have sold more as people felt an urgency to make up their minds!

Aaron Hawkins introducing the artists at the Questions and Artists session.

But we sold 19 artworks which was a grand result. From donations, commission on artworks, and the sale of postcards,  we made enough money to completely fund one edition of the poetry cards including their postage. This is an enormous help.

Glimpses of the artists and the audience at the Question and Artists session.

Sincere thanks to everyone who supported this year’s exhibition and accompanying events.  I’d like to organise one major fundraising event for Poems in the Waiting Room (NZ) in 2015 but I haven’t even started to think about what form it might take………. I’ll post any news on our main blog.

 Cheers for now

Ruth

Playful day in the Gallery

Viviane and Pauline agreed to spend some time beading and painting in the Gallery today.

Pauline and Kira

Kira was the main sitter but after Pauline completed Kira’s portrait she was on a roll so Sue, Viviane and I gave ourselves up to Pauline’s brush strokes!

Pauline and Sue

I think the laughter and activity drew people into the Gallery.

Pauline touching up her painting of me – seated with my sudoku book.

I’ve named my painting, Double Glazing. I need reading and distance glasses and the best place to keep the pair I’m not wearing is on my head!

Viviane beading and chatting to Sue while Pauline works in the background

I placed Viviane and Pauline in full view of passersby so they were noticed.

Viviane beading

Tomorrow is your last chance to see all the wonderful art which made up A Palette of Poetry. The Gallery opens at 10.00am so call in to say Hi and have a look around in the morning.

And the last portrait for the day – Viviane.

 The Questions and Artists session starts at 1.00pm and will be all over by 2.30 pm. At 4.00pm I’ll start unhanging all the artwork.  It’s been a busy two weeks  – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Princes St, met some wonderful people, and made some great new friends.

Not quite leaving yet, but only two days to go

Leaving – Sharon Murcott

Every photo I’ve taken of Leaving has caught the reflection of the paintings on the other side of the Gallery, even on dull days. Apologies for this to Sharon and readers.

Leaving

We are waking to a small grief.
Yesterday he packed his
childhood

into boxes; endings and
beginnings.

21 years ago, we couldn’t see
beyond 9 months. Now
we can’t see

beyond today. There are holes
and silences to fill.

We have room for conversation
but nothing to say.

       © Ruth Arnison

The guys from My Mate John collected the borrowed furniture this morning so I rang my mate Barry and asked him to bring in a comfortable chair and a side table for my stuff – sudoku book, pen, glasses, paper, crosswords –  and a table for the cat.  Barry arrived with my lunch, chair and tables and very shortly, after a slight rearrangement, my metal mousetrap cat and I were resettled. She’s still looking out the window but sitting slightly higher.

Silent Lyrics – Rob Piggott and Jenny Mehrten

One poem and two artists’ interpretation. Interesting isn’t it? I had a request for this poem today so I emailed it off to the requestee and then I thought why not post it here as well. So…………..

Silent lyrics

If I could sing you a love song I’d voice
not one word,

but play a tune over your lips with mine,
whisper a chorus of breaths in your ears.

If I could sing you a love song you’d hear
every caress in my silence,

fingertips outlining your face with a hum,
lips crooning over the creases on your brow.

If I could sing you a love song I’d tell you
without sounding a note,

toes entwining in a melody of moments,
fingers gentling in harmony with yours.

If I could sing you a love song I’d murmur
not one bar,

but scale your body with a rhythmic touch
signing these lyrics.

© Ruth Arnison

Julie Woods and Ron Esplin called in this afternoon. It’s wonderful to see them back in Dunedin after their exciting holiday in South America. Ron emailed a daily diary while they were away so all the armchair travellers in NZ could share in their trip.

Lynn Taylor popped in for a late afternoon visit. Her table of letters and shelf of words have been a real bonus for the exhibition. People are always stopping to have a play – today’s letter playing produced the words Abundance, laugh a lot, smile, and Hi Gran!

If you haven’t been to the exhibition, hurry, hurry.

It will all be coming down late Sunday afternoon after the Questions and Artists event.

More words and art

Home – Pauline Bellamy

After yesterday’s busyness it was very quiet at the Gallery today.

Avalanche – Pauline Bellamy

After I finished reading my book I started playing around with some words and have three new poems on the go. HAPPY.

Autumn Flourish – Kate Williamson

My brother called in for a chat and a wander around the poems and artworks.  I sat quietly while he read and read and read…………  I haven’t shared my poetry with my siblings, it’s not something I like to force on people. He seemed quite chuffed, reckoned I had a bit of a way with words. High praise. HAPPY.

Let’s face it – it was a busy day

Today was the busiest day so far at the Gallery.

Craig Cummings and Jenny Powell at the Opening

Nicola called in with a hot chocolate minutes after Barry had brought me one so I was on a delicious high after drinking both with gusto. Artists popped in. Gillian arrived with my daily update on the happenings at the Arts Festival. Carolyn paid a visit and we caught up on her recent residency. Karen arrived with her lunch and a chat. Elspeth popped by to see what food requirements I had in mind for Sunday. My son’s gorgeous partner, Phoebe, called in after work and then Chris arrived to collect her. And that was just my friends. There were passersby, people who had read about the exhibition in the paper, some had seen it listed in the festival programme and others had heard about it from friends. Staying open to six was definitely worthwhile, I might try that another night.

Elizabeth Brooke- Carr and Robert Cooke at the Opening

Barry picked me up at 6.00pm  and we went to see Nick – An Accidental Hero, the best theatre I have ever seen.  Brilliant. Then out to Nova for dinner and home. A busy day.

Christine Spain’s response to my poem, Let’s face it.

 

More artwork from the Gallery

Descendents – Jenny Mehrtens

 Sandy McKay called in this morning with a group of students from Literacy Aotearoa. I enjoyed chatting to them about the art, the poems, and finding out which paintings attracted them the most and why.

I see a bathroom in your future – Brian Stewart

The Gallery is open from 10 to 5 daily with an extended hour tomorrow night so friends working along the other end of town can pop in on their way home.

Ella Knapton’s Off the Edge sold at the Opening.

Don’t forget Sunday is the last day of the exhibition if you haven’t been to see it yet.

Print Poem Book Workshop Two

There was a lovely buzz of energy in the Gallery today as Lynn Taylor tutored another  group.

There was a lot of laughter and then quiet murmurings as the group concentrated on applying new techniques which Lynn had demonstrated.

Playing with words……..

and more words……..

Some of the completed books

Lynn persuaded me to have a go!

Lynn with today’s group.

 

Workshop One

There was a whole heap of busyness happening in the Gallery today.

Lynn Taylor was tutoring the first print poem book workshop.

Six ladies spent the day beavering away with impressive results.

I thoroughly enjoyed their cheerful company!

With a lot of help from my friends

 

My exhibition openings and events wouldn’t happen without my friends’ help.

Starting at the Top Left and working clockwise

Jenny Longstaff designed the posters, the catalogue, the postcards, loaned me tables, and chairs, and was the ladder climber when it came to hanging all the work. I’m more of a ground floor person! She also provided food, and made the sangria for the opening and calls in regularly to see if I need anything. She has been my right hand and my left hand person!

John Bellamy lifts, lugs and delivers much-needed exhibition items for me and has unlimited patience.

Sheryl is a ‘two houses up’ neighbour, one of the artists and a superb cook. She turns up at our house with exhibition food, no fuss, no bother, no worries. It’s not a problem Ruth, it’s  nothing is her most common comment.  It is something, it’s a kindness that is very much appreciated.

Barry is my supporter extraordinaire. He looks after all the practicalities at home while I’m at work or flitting around town preparing and looking after exhibitions. He arrives at the gallery with lunch, hot drinks, minds it while I go to the library to collect books and turns up every evening to help me close up. Not many people would feel comfortable telling their  boss to do the dishes or replenish glasses and plates! My boss Julie turns up to every exhibition opening  wanting to help. She’s pretty cool.

Noela provides food for my exhibitions, lends a hand in the kitchen and keeps an eye on the food and drinks to make sure the tables are full. We are so looking forward to November when we’re planning a day trip out-of-town.  Our regular jaunts have been postponed this year because of my busyness at Olveston, at work, and then preparing for this exhibition.

What sort of food and what numbers are you expecting? That’s my friend Elspeth talking. I’ll give her my best guesstimate and an idea of savoury or sweet and leave her to it. She always arrives with beautifully presented food and just gets stuck in organising the kitchen.

Kay is a PitWR trustee and is beginning to realise it involves taking on the not so glamorous roles at times, like taking photographs at the Opening. Thank you Kay, I owe you big time!  Kay also introduced the poets for me which involved research and a fair amount of work.

Pauline turns up before I even know I need her. She delivered carloads of artwork to the Gallery, gave me lifts home, provides hot chocolates and is a wonderful support. Kay caught us catching up just prior to the opening.

Last but not least is my next door neighbour Murray. He turned up to help Barry transfer 60 seats from the Art Gallery down to the Community Gallery, organised the Sound System for the Four Poets reading and then came along the next morning to help Barry take the seats back up the hill again. Jan and Murray are great neighbours. They’ve featured in several poems  – one about Jan is in the A Palette of Poetry exhibition.

Home comforts

Annie Lambourne’s sculpture in the foreground with the much sat upon chairs and sofa behind

I love the comfortable sofa and armchairs in the Gallery. The sofa is my office ( in other words, my reading chair) but the armchairs are there for anyone to use. One lad came in, sat down, pulled out the footrest, made himself comfortable and asked me to tell him a story! Three friends arrived separately one day, all with their lunch, and plonked themselves down on the chairs and sofa. I felt like renaming the place, The Gallery Cafe.

Sheryl McCammon’s painting “Rock’n roll.”

Sheryl lives two houses away from us. She not only provided food for the opening, and the poetry reading but also came knocking on our door tonight with food for our evening meal. We live in a great neighbourhood. Jan and Murray, our next door neighbours, feature in several of my poems. Often we’re chatting away and they must see some look pass over my face as they immediately say, oh no this is going to appear in a poem isn’t it?

Jenny Mehrten’s Burning Question.

Jenny’s sister Kate and her Aunt Jane called in to the Gallery this afternoon so I enjoyed a natter with them both. If people walk in and do a quick circuit then I just leave them to make their escape. But if they stop to really look at the poems and art work, take their time making their way around the Gallery then I know they’ll probably approach me with a comment and we end up chatting about Poems in the Waiting Room, the artworks and life!!

Motorcycle Ballerina – Katy Buess

Katy delivered Motorcycle Ballerina to our place which was great as it gave me the chance to show her how well her last year’s exhibit, Green Tea, had settled into our home. Apologies for some reflections caught in the above shot.

Homeward Bound – Kevin Dunkley

Kevin’s postcards of Homeward Bound have been scooped up. Now we’re just waiting for his painting to be scooped up as Kevin hopes it’s not going to be Homeward Bound in his direction.