Still Running

Installing three of my 'running men' on friends' Meg and Jerrys' garage roof

See, I haven't been sitting on my thumbs. The latest creation 'In Your Arms at Last' going to a gallery in Cambridge.

Published (cringe)

Ooogh I have been published, even if I did it myself! It's nice to have done it but also a little embarrassing. I have many beautiful art books of important artists and now anyone can do it (not be important silly) so how are we going to sort the peas from the pod? Previously only artists who have made a significant impact on the art world have been printed so when you came to buying a book you only had to choose between who you like or dislike.
I only produced them for the kids for Christmas, honestly!

Kenny

I suddenly remembered Kenny the other day. He was a big, black bastard. The kind you only saw the eyes of late at night when we usually did business. He lived out in the sticks with wife and kids and we were partners in scallop shucking. We had seven boats and no money so I used to work my arse off all night long opening and packing scallops so Kenny could leave at first light to sell them in the city and bring the money back to pay the fishermen for the next days catch. One day he didn't come home. I was left with seven irate fishermen and six months of hard labour to pay them back. He greeted me on the street like a long lost brother some time later, offering me boxes of crayfish to settle the debt. Of course when I opened them up they were undersize and worthless. Liked him though. It was all a game, sometimes I won but most times he got the better of me and I had my eyes open. Last I heard of him he was on a hunger strike in prison. With the size of him he's probably still on it!

Yippee!!

I've had a good week. Friends Jerry and Meg are taking 3 of the running men above. I sold the stone sculpture below at the Little gallery of Fine Arts as well as the painted sculpture from the Eggsentric garden. The tall figure has been sold and is going to Murawai on the West coast and my good mate Jimmy wants some sculpture at his house on Waiheke as payment for the dinghy I picked up from him.
It's either a feast or a famine!!

Sail Ahoy

Just arrived back from a sailing trip to Auckland to pick up mate Jimmys' inflatable. As the photo shows it was a quiet trip up but a 30 knot sou'wester blew us home.

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.
via brainpickings

Long Lunch

A view of my sculptures 'The Righteous and the Sinner' running out to sea

Tom and Jane Parsons house

Plating up dessert

Yesterday I cooked 56 gourmet (matter of opinion!) meals off a barbecue to raise money for our open studio event in March. It went well if a bit hair raising. The artwork sold well with the highest price going to us. No that wasn't selling, that was buying, I'll have to keep Denise away from auctions in the future! She bought a lovely Michael Smither painting called 'Bellbird Song 2'

Long Lunch Menu

Entrée: Hot Water Beach gourmet paua with bacon and spinach risotto
Fresh local crayfish salad with avocado and chilled gazpacho
Vegetarian: watermelon and feta salad with roasted nuts and chilli jam

Main: Grilled pork with apricots and prunes on roasted summer vegetables and a kiwifruit red onion salad
Barbecue lamb fillet with courget and potato fritters, slow roasted tomatoes, fresh salsa and basil pesto
Vegetarian: pumpkin and silverbeet spanokopita on summer roasted vegetables with grilled asparagus

Dessert: Summer berry cheesecake with avocado icecream and chocolate chards
Frozen parfait with red wine poached prunes and macadamia praline