Thursday, October 19, 2017

Love in a Mist: Belinda Griffiths

‘Love in a Mist’ 
The native Nursery Web Spider creates her delicate cocoon-like webs, not to capture her prey, but as a way of sheltering and shielding her young until they are big enough to fend for themselves
Belinda uses these temporary translucent structures as a lens through which to examine the shifting dynamics of life and family.                                                                                                                                                                                                
21 October  – 5 November
Hours: 11 – 2pm Monday to Friday & 11 – 3pm Sat/Sun
Opening: Friday 20 Oct 5-8pm


Thursday, October 5, 2017

Out of Order: Caroline Griffin, Lucy Pierpoint and Sarah Walker-Holt

'Out of Order', a group show of Contemporary makers whose work challenges the preconceived order of what jewellery is.


A re-ordering of the expected value system by utilising materials not generally associated with 'bling', along with expectations of how jewellery is worn, can be found in this eclectic show.



Thursday, September 7, 2017

Cast of Mind: Joanna Fieldes

Paratutae Island, (guarding the northern shores of the Manukau Harbour), 2017

Cast of Mind
11 Sept - 14 Oct 2017
Opening 10.30-2pm Saturday 9 Sept 

Artist Talk: 11.30am Sat 14 Oct 

Papakura Art Gallery
10 Averill Street
Papakura


Monday–Friday: 9am–5pm
Saturday: 10am–2pm


Papakura Art Gallery;

'Joanna Fieldes oil paintings are selected from the last 10 years of her art practice. Recent works are based on both south and west Auckland, and are accompanied by works depicting landscapes further afield. In Fieldes’ landscapes, animated figures, such as birds or rabbits interact with ceramic vessels. The figures sit inside ceramics, and at times become one with them. A myriad of gravy jugs, urns or egg cups become containers for history and for ideas. The scenarios depicted are a mix of historical ‘truths’ and fanciful, surrealist visions. Fieldes’ cast of characters emerges from landscapes which are based on her memory of places in New Zealand.'

Excerpt taken from Taking History for a Walk, Joanna Fieldes’ explores truth and vision

Public Programme
Join exhibiting artist Joanna Fieldes In conversation with guests; Cameron Brown, Forth generation New Zealand potter. Finn McCahon-Jones Curator/Director of Te Toi Uku, Crown Lynn & Clay Museum and Kara Oosterman of The Papakura Museum. Saturday 14th of October at 11.30am. This is a free event held during the Papakura Street Art Festival Saturday 14th October 11.30am – 12.30pm inside gallery two of the Papakura Art Gallery.

Friday, August 25, 2017

tête-à-tête: artHAUS Orakei


tête-à-tête is about the exchange between people/objects. The literal translation is, head to head and is a private conversation between two people.In this exhibition we are looking at the transmission of information and how it can be taken or mistaken. Each artist has taken this and their own tête-à-tête between themselves and the work they have created 



Toni Mosley

Jo Raill

Jo Raill

Janet Hafoka, Detail

Janet Hafoka

Photo credit: Margaret Bray


Sandy littlejohns-Clark




Thursday, March 9, 2017

Sarah Walker-Holt: Munich Jewellery Week

Sarah Walker-Holt, When is a Singlet not a Singlet? Neckware, 2017

Cotton, Electrical wire, Wooden lid, Brass, Laminate 


When is a Singlet not a Singlet? Incorporating textiles into my work allows for an investigation into hybridising something that can initially be understood as a garment but then also as a piece of jewellery or wearable object. A space between garment and jewellery that is fickle.

HANDSHAKE meets DIALOGUE COLLECTIVE “It Will All Come Out In The  Wash” (10-12 March 2017, 12.00-19.00). Collaboration exhibition with the London-  based Dialogue Collective group. 
LOT62-Schleissheimenr Str. 62, 80799 Munich.    
OPENING night: Thurs 9 March 2017 (17.00- 20.00)  

http://klimt02.net/events/exhibitions/it-will-all-come-out-wash-lot62-84-ghz

https://handshake3.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/dialogue-collective-meets-handshake-details.pdf

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRbPrQCFYpK/

https://handshake3.com/category/sarah-walker-holt/

Thursday, February 2, 2017

NEW CLASS: Toni Mosley Wood block Print

Toni is starting an extremely affordable Reductive Wood Block class at Te Tuhi. It is broken into two courses of four day classes. This is an opportunity not to be missed!!

http://shop.tetuhi.org.nz/products/reductive-woodblock-printing



NEW CLASS: Sarah Walker-Holt

Sarah is taking a new Contemporary Jewellery Class at Te Tuhi. For more details go to the te tuhi website.

"Its getting close to the start of my new class at Te Tuhi. Come and join me and learn how to, pierce [cut] metal, wood and plastic, make a variety of rivets to connect materials, make a variety of cords, make your own hooks and eyes, draw with plastic, up-cycle materials, learn how to make your own brooch pin - and lots more. This will be a fun and creative class that will get you on your way to making unique wearable objects all of your own! Get stimulated and inspired!! Bookings through te tuhi link below.........and pass on the word!! With contemporary jewellery the world is your oyster!!"

http://shop.tetuhi.org.nz/products/contemporary-jewellery


CAT launch: Toni Mosley, Belinda Griffiths and Jo Raill

Toni, Belinda and Jo banded together last weekend for the launch of the Clevedon Art Trail and had a fantastic response to their Print workshop and Clay wheel demonstration with lots popping in to watch as well.

clevedonarttrail.co.nz

Keep you eye's peeled for more upcoming demonstrations and workshops at Left-field!!

Here's a few pics - Thanks Toni, Belinda and Jo!














Thursday, January 26, 2017

Introducing: Belinda Griffiths

Recently I cornered Belinda Griffiths and got her talking about how she got started as an artist, her 2014 Art Residency in Winnipeg, Canada and what she is working on now. Belinda is one of our newest Left-field members, who is currently using our cabin as her studio.…………………………


Belinda studied a Bachelor of Design at AUT, going on to work as a designer and stylist for about 6 years, while painting on the side. She became particularly interested in painting the human figure and in capturing emotion and mood. She made the decision to start painting full time in 2004. She credits a year-long professional practice course with artist and tutor Matthew Browne as helping her to focus her practice and work out where she wanted it to go. Belinda has now been working full time painting and printmaking for about 13 years.



A notable achievement in Belinda’s career was in 2010 when she won the Molly Morpeth Canaday Award which she said was a welcome affirmation in the decision to make art her career. Belinda also won the NZ Art Show's Wine Label Award in 2011, (which saw her work printed on numerous bottles of award winning wine) and the Uxbridge Estuary Art Award in 2013.

In 2014 Belinda took part in a short term Art Residency in Winnipeg, Canada hosted by MAWA [Mentoring Artists for Women’s Art] where she, her husband, 3 year old daughter and 6 year old son stayed in the residency’s studio and accommodation. Here she spent time talking with, recording and videoing local women artists. She then chose still shots from the videos, which were used as reference for a series of prints that were exhibited at the end of the residency. The way in which the material was gathered allowed Belinda to gather honest, open captures of the women as they spoke about issues that really meant something to them - their art practice and how they balanced that with family.





The mark making that is evident in Belinda’s work plays an important role in conveying the emotion of her subject. Belinda's resistance to using traditional processes and methods around the figurative genre allows her work to stand on its own two feet.

Belinda said she learnt a lot from the art residency experience and found she was still processing it all, long after she was back home in NZ. At the end of the residency Belinda made the most of travelling around Canada visiting galleries and museums in Toronto and Montreal and Vancouver. She was asked to write a dispatch piece about her residency experience in New Zealand's ArtNews Magazine the following year.

 The MAWA residency came at a time when Belinda was actively seeking a change of environment and new influences for her work. Being an artist as well as a mother to young children, Belinda relished the opportunity to step out of her home-studio environment and experience a change of scenery. MAWA is an artist organisation run specifically to support women artists in Winnipeg and it gave Belinda the chance to have conversations with artists which were useful and relevant to both aspects of her life.

MAWA also helped Belinda realise the importance of community and to appreciate the support structure that an artist group can offer. Luckily for Left-field, this realisation brought Belinda to us. She believes feedback from other artists is important because they will be more likely to understand the need for you to push boundaries in your own work, and encourage you to take those necessary leaps rather than playing it safe.

Belinda is currently working on a series of prints which will form part of a group show which she is also curating at New Zealand Steel Gallery. The exhibition which celebrates ‘monotype as a medium’, includes four other notable printmakers and runs from the 22nd April - 27th May.

Technically, the print series will draw inspiration from work she has done over the last few years, including the pieces she did while in Winnipeg, but they will be on a much larger scale. She sees this show as an exciting opportunity to explore a change in scale for her printmaking work.

Belinda loves the monotype process and is more comfortable using acrylics rather than printing inks due to her painting background. She has developed a process that works for her through trial and error and enjoys discovering what the medium can and can't do. She also enjoys the element of surrender when working in the medium of printmaking. The marks that happen without intention; the ones she’s not expecting to get, are what she feels makes the process, as well as the result, so interesting.

Belinda also has a group show coming up with five women artists at Railway St Studio in Newmarket working around the theme of perspective. So …………..watch this space!

mawa.ca/events/view/artist-in-residence-showcase-belinda-griffiths


By Sarah Walker-Holt and Belinda Griffiths Jan 2017
Images: Sarah Walker-Holt