Meet the People - 17

Jennifer Looman - centre. Photo by Tanja Dove Photography.

Another in the Series Meet the People – Ordinary and Extraordinary New Zealanders Doing Interesting Things – Wellington’s Jennifer Looman has a quirky, personalised approach to tourism – she’s just as happy showing off her favourite public bathroom…location a secret unless you join one of her City of Style Tours….as she is telling her guests what the capital’s Cable Car meant to her when she was young. Or there was the time she took a group of Canadian women to look over the Parliament Buildings and as they stood there, the red carpet was rolled out and the Prime Minister took to the steps to greet the Prime Minister of Vanuatu – with a full Maori welcome in tow. “I spent the next 30 minutes explaining where Vanuatu was and Txted pictures of the Prime Minister were sent back to their families within the hour. It was a pretty cool moment,” she says. Jennifer set up Wild About Wellington just over two years ago – “because I had just turned 40 and I lay in bed worrying that if I didn’t take the plunge and do something that thrilled me to the core, then I might just miss out on something dreadfully important.” Anyone who has joined Jennifer on one of her tours is no doubt highly appreciative of her moment of epiphany. There’s a City of Style Tour that takes you to meet local fashion designers and a Boutique Beer Tour (see below post) that introduces you to our finest ales – and both tours packed with great people, stories, coffee, arts, food and shopping. www.wildaboutwellington.co.nz

Raising Your Glass

Wellington beer expert, Neil Miller, right with David Wild. Photo by Tanja Dove Photography.

“Getting plonked on Fiji bitter on an outer Fijian island” was about Jennifer Looman’s lot until she met Wellington beer expert, Neil Miller (pictured above right), who is now the key to Wild About Wellington’s hugely successful Boutique Beer Tours. “I’m now slightly snobby about drinking something with a clean finish and with a decent amount of hops,” she says. “Tuatara is my all-time favourite brewery – I love the whole range.” With big breweries stitching up so much of the industry there is sometimes little scope for small New Zealand breweries “to provide their nectar on tap in big cities” but in Wellington The Malthouse is a beer drinker’s Mecca with over 150 beers to choose from, and around 30 of those on tap. You can take the 3-hour walking beer tour yourself – day or night - to explore some of Wellington’s other brewery/beer highlights – “ like Sassy Red from Macs, or Mayhem by Epic in Auckland. I’ll go out in a southerly to have that,” says Jennifer. www.wildaboutwellington.co.nz

Small Moments of Greed

Lemon Flavoured Deliciousness

Speaking the Language

Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu promotional material It’s Maori Language Week again – something that has occurred in New Zealand every year since 1975. It’s a time to celebrate Maori language (te Reo Maori) and this year it runs from July 21-27 with the theme te Reo i te kainga – Maori language in the home. When I was in the Ngai Tahu offices here in Christchurch this morning, I was lucky enough to see parts of a video that has been prepared as part of the Ngai Tahu language initiatives. I also picked up this brochure, prepared as part of Ngai Tahu’s Generation Reo campaign, Kotahi Mano Kaika, Kotahi Mano Wawata (One thousand homes, one thousand aspirations), which was established to raise awareness of and an appreciation for Maori language among Ngai Tahu people. There has been a huge resurgence in te Reo Maori, especially since New Zealand officially became a bilingual nation in 1987. Generation Reo is all about encouraging families to speak Maori at home and it’s about a whole lot more than just giving the next generation a second language; it’s also about strengthening identity and saving another of the world’s languages from extinction. As someone who is passionate about language fullstop, I find it very gratifying to see Ngai Tahu, as just one iwi (tribe) on a mission to restore te Reo Maori within homes. As their promotional material points out, “it takes one generation to lose a language and three generations to revive it.”

Colours of the Night

Christchurch. July 2008. Ajr

Two different lights

Two different nights

The Spaces Between -13

Napier. June 2008. Ajr

And more of my own pre-occupation with the long, thin spaces between buildings

Snakes Alive!

Victoria, Australia. 2007. Ajr

Given the bleakness of the day, I decided to seek something colourful and unexpected in my photo files. This is what I came up with - two shots from last year’s trip to Woodend, which sits approximately 69 km north of Melbourne in Central Victoria. The colourful leucodendrons were on sale at the local florist shop. The madman with a snake wrapped around his neck was a different story. I photographed him at Kyneton – at the annual Agricultural Show. He and his mate were giving a riveting demonstration of snake handling, complete with all the information you'd ever need on of Australia’s most venomous snakes. I’m not a big fan of snakes but there is this perverse fascination that draws me to them – and then of course I reel back in horror.

Cool Cars - 11

One Blue XJV12 Jaguar - Spotted in Manchester Street, Christchurch

Barry's Provocative Unpublished Minutes - 27

"Men of Every Creed."

Another artistic statement from one of New Zealand's top printmakers

Outside Conventions

Christchurch Convention Centre. July 2008. Ajr

Christchurch artist Philip Trusttum is not one to be bound by conventions. His works are exuberant and generally enormous. These are two of his paintings at the Christchurch Convention Centre (and that’s a Bing Dawe sculpture in between) – the two smallest ones. His other enormous work here runs the full width of the building – the full width of a city block in fact. You can see more of Phil’s work here and at www.trusttum.co.nz

Small Moments of Beauty

Unseasonal Roses

Perfect White

Like Snow

One Creepy Tree

Victoria Street, Christchurch. 2008. Ajr I went out walking with a friend on Saturday – or that was the intention. She ended up shopping while I loitered with intent in the street outside. While she snapped up fashion bargains, I was snapping this creepy little tree that seemed to take on a life of its own when silhouetted against the pale sky and the high rise behind.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Lake Forsyth, Banks Peninsular. July 2008. Ajr

When you stand on the edge of Lake Forsyth – known to Maori as Wairewa – it’s hard not to feel a little sad about this poisoned place. A few days ago it looked moody and enticing, pretty almost; but this is not a lake you want to swim or fish in. Thanks to a wide range of contributing culprits - from erosion and bird fouling to human effluent - the lake suffers from algal contamination. Its water is poisoned, fish are dying, it is silting up and boating on the lake is virtually non-existent. Once a valuable food resource for Maori – especially eels – it is predicted it will become a swamp within five years if the problem can’t be solved.

Caffiene Fiends

Dunedin. 2007.Ajr

This is one cafe in Dunedin that makes no secret

of its passion for good coffee

In the Pink

Victoria Street, Christchurch. July 2008. Ajr

It's mid-winter but in the world of retail

Spring is already here

Seasonally speaking that is.

The proliferation of 50% sales everywhere

is a testament to tightened (money) belts

The Wisdom of Billboards

Fitzgerald Avenue, Christchurch. July 2008. Ajr

Sometimes the billboards say it all for us!

On Journeys

Dunedin.2007. Ajr

The best journeys are not necessarily the longest, the most testing or the most expensive. For me, a short journey across town can be as exciting and enlightening as any marathon event that takes me to the northern hemisphere. And, as this sign suggests, it’s not just about the destination – it’s about taking ourselves out of our comfort zones; it’s about leaving yourself open to challenge, discovery and discomfort; it’s about opening our eyes and really seeing.

Art in Unexpected Places

Daylesford.2007.Ajr

Last time I was in Victoria, I visited the popular little town of Daylesford, about an hour north of Melbourne. That’s where I discovered this fabulous old convent. I spent hours here, wandering about marvelling at the architecture and wondering what life might have been like within its rabbits’ warren of spaces when it served as the Holy Cross Convent and Boarding School for Girls. Originally built as a private mansion in the 1860s, it was bought by the Catholic Church in the 1890s. It ceased life as a church facility in 1973 and was again purchased by a private owner – an artist - who converted it into a series of living and gallery spaces. It’s now open to the public and features several galleries, cafes, restaurant and bar, accommodation, reception rooms, gift shop and a gorgeous restored chapel. There’s even a religious museum in the basement (which was a little spooky) and, at the very top of the building, the nun’s infirmary has been left in its original state and now serves as a long thin gallery space that I loved – it reeked of history and past lives. www.theconvent.com.au

Winter Waves

Birdlings Flat July 2008 Ajr

Milky Turqouise Waves

Crashing Ashore

Like Whipped Cream

One Man on a Beach

Birdlings Flat July 2008. Ajr One lone beach walker On a cold winter's day at Birdlings Flat

A Bird on a Branch

Kereru. Takamatua. 2007. Ajr

Meet Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae, more commonly known to we New Zealanders as Kereru, or wood pigeon, although Wikipedia will tell you “they’re not the same as the (true) wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), which is a member of a different genus.” I adore these chubby, colourful birds and it’s no wonder to me that early Maori considered them a delicacy - they do look very juicy. I took this photo about eighteen months ago at a friend’s bach at Takamatua on Banks Peninsular, where kereru are relatively common.

Diamonds are Forever.....

.......….especially when they’re set in stone! Love this ring by Christchurch jeweller, Elfi Spiewack. A diamond set into a greywacke pebble.

Follow the Sign

Christchurch. July 2008. Ajr

I took heed of this inner city billboard this morning and I drove out to Birdlings Flat - ostensibly for an interview but I was 'stood up.' But no matter, I took the opportunity to prowl about with my camera, despite the misty, murky, drizzly weather.

Giddy-Up

Motukarara Raceway. July 2008. Ajr

It was all mood and mist when I called in to the Motukarara Raceway this morning on my way to Birdlings Flat. I hadn't expected to see any action, so I was delighted to see this trio in training - an early morning workout around a muddy track. This quirky rural race track comes alive once a year when they have a big meeting that draws thousands from the surrounding city and countryside.

From a Bygone Era

Lyttelton. July 2008. Ajr

Like so many of New Zealand's small town post offices, this big beauty from Lyttelton's heydey is now defunct.....as an operating Post Office that is. It's gone through many guises since it closed down as the local post office, most memorably as a couple of jolly good restaurants. The original Post & Telegraph Office (in this building) was built in 1876 and featured a very large clock tower on top. I wonder whatever happened to that?

Photography in Motion

Auckland. 2007. Ajr

I have developed this rather disconcerting habit of taking photographs while I'm driving my car. That's the beauty of a little digital - just point, shoot and hope for the best.

I took this one when I was caught in a traffic jam on Auckland's motorway last year.

Walking on Water

Port Lyttelton . July 2008. Ajr I've already moaned about the inability of my tiny digital camera to do justice to long-distance bird photographs, so imagine my surprise and delight when I snapped this little beauty yesterday. I couldn't believe my luck. Blur aside, I think it captures a great moment in this little seagull's daily bathing ritual as it rose up out of the puddle.

Adrenalin Fix

Rakaia River. 2008. Ajr

Nothing gets my adrenalin pumping faster than a helicopter! And this little jaunt with Mt Hutt Helicopters was no exception. Even better that the whole business started with a racy trip up the Rakaia River with the Terrace Downs Discovery Jet. If you’ve got eagle-eye vision, you might just spot the jet far below in the river. The dramatic landscapes around this area – around 45 minutes from Christchurch – are well worth exploring; and if you’re a skier, you can be whisked from Terrace Downs High Country Resort to the Mt Hutt Ski Area in a matter of minutes. www.terracedowns.co.nz

A Fistful of Houses

Rapaki. July 2008. Ajr

I drove over to the tiny Lyttelton Harbour settlement of Rapaki for an interview yesterday and while I waited for the clock to tick over to the appointed time, I took this snap looking down on the bay. Nestled into a sheltered inner eastern shoreline, Rapaki is – geographically - little more than a fistful of houses clinging to the hillsides, a small beach, a jetty and the Maori marae that is home to the Ngai Tahu runanga, Te Hapu o Ngati Wheke. The Te Wheke hall was built in 1901 and sits on a grassy plateau just above the beach, along with a gorgeous little Whare Karakia (church), which opened in 1869. The thing I love about the place is the total silence – not to mention the ever-changing seaward views. www.ngaitahu.iwi.co.nz

Craning My Neck

Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch. July 2008. Ajr

I find myself looking skyward a lot lately.

Craning my neck you might say.

And I like what I see.

There's something very appealing about the bulk of cranes

on the city skyline - a tangle of geometric forms

and angles

Art & Architecture

July 2008. Ajr.

I love the interplay of geometric architectural shapes and geometric graphics in this little scene on the roofline of COCA Gallery in Gloucester Street.

Southern Architecture

Dunedin. 2007. Ajr This would have to be one of the most photographed streets in Dunedin. A line of gorgeous terrace houses that creeps up the hill from the Octagon. Most are now given over to restaurants and small businesses. www.dunedinnz.com

The Butterfly Book

Accordion Book by Ajr.

Butterflies

Gathered Together

Between Pages

For a Small Niece

Barry's Provocative Unpublished Minutes - 26

"Boys' Toys."

More in the series of inkjet prints from one of New Zealand's leading printmakers.

Tall Stories

Christchurch. July 2008. Ajr This, believe it or not, is soon to be Christchurch’s tallest building. If you’re not excited I’ll understand but keep in mind there is more to come – a pyramid on the roof for starters. It’s that planned pyramid that is expected to give the new C1 Tower its tallest building status at 86 metres – despite the fact that the building itself is five metres shorter that the current title-holder, the PricewaterhouseCoopers Centre, which measures in at 78 metres. A pyramid and spire it seems, are all important when it comes to ‘reaching for the sky.’ The penthouse apartment on the 21st floor has reputedly sold for over NZ$5-million. – just to give you an idea of inner city Christchurch high-rise apartment prices.

A Sub-Tropical Moment.......

Botanic Gardens. July 2008. Ajr .......in a very chilly Christchurch Never let it be said that we don't know how to grow bananas in the wintry south. I found these beauties this afternoon when I went wandering in the Botanic Gardens Sub-Tropical glass houses

Jesus - In Unexpected Places

Christchurch Hospital. July 2008. Ajr

I don’t mean to offend anyone with deeply-held religious convictions but I did have a giggle yesterday when I was visiting a friend in Christchurch Hospital. There, blinking away in blue neon on the side window of the hospital hairdresser’s salon, was Jesus. Maybe it’s true – maybe he IS everywhere!

Meet the People - 16

Another in the series Meet the People - Ordinary and Extraordinary New Zealanders doing Interesting Things - Angela Bashnick has created a gorgeous spot, Port'O'Call - part gift shop, part old-fashioned tea shop - in Napier's popular portside suburb of Ahuriri. It's all romance, flowerbuds and feminism and if you're the sort who likes to reminisce about days gone by, this is the place for you. You can choose your own cup, plate and saucer from Angela's collection of old china; you can dress up in fancy hats; or you can simply indulge in the heavenly edible treats that she displays under glass domes. It's always inspiring to see someone thinking outside the square - especially when it comes to the hospitality industry.

Leaf Light

David Trubridge sculptures, Hastings. June 2008. Ajr.

This is another series of works in central Hastings - "Leaf Lights" by Napier-based David Trubridge, commissioned as part of the Stage Three re-development of the city centre.

Ranging from seven to nine metres in height, the green leaf-form lighting poles are grouped in clusters throughout the central plaza area and serve as both pedestrian lighting and works of art. www.hastingscity.co.nz www.davidtrubridge.com

Artist Studios - 8

Leanne Culy. Napier, June 2008. Ajr

Leanne Culy spent most of her working life in Wellington as a graphic designer and stylist in the film industry. Now she works out of a fabulous studio in her Napier home creating her artworks on old oars. She has a passion for nostalgia, the way things were and much of her imagery is based around familiar New Zealand icons – the tiki, flax, shells, plants lace and teapots. She loves to mix European and ethnic symbols and colours. More recently she has also created Home Base Collections, a range of fabrics printed with her designs. www.homebasecollections.co.nz

Maori Weaving

Woven Flax Pattern

Weaving Stories

Flax kete. 2007-2008. Ajr The traditional Maori woven flax basket – kete harakeke – is more than just a craft. Weaving of any sort is full of symbolism and meaning for Maori and from the simple food basket to the elaborately-decorated woven feather cloak, it is imbued with spiritual value. The kete is perhaps the most common form of Maori weaving present in contemporary culture and it finds expression as both an art form exhibited in galleries and as a purely utilitarian article. A kete may be used as a general carry-all or it may be sold as a tourist souvenir. Either way, they’re as diverse and as colourful as the people who make and use them.

Small Moments of Beauty

White roses

Illuminated

For Winter

Self-Portrait 5 - On a Beach

Napier. June 2007. Ajr

It's tall, thin shadow time again!

On Napier's foreshore.

That's Cape Kidnappers in the background.

Night Lights

Christchurch Art Gallery. July 2008. Ajr I stopped to take this photograph as I drove by the Christchurch Art Gallery last night. A colourful show of night lights that goes by the name of "Didn't Get Much Sleep Last Night." Illuminating the gallery's Oriel Window, this light-box work by Jim Speers combines gorgeous colours with geometric forms. It's made up of a series of acrylic boxes covered with coloured vinyl, which are then illuminated by fluorescent light. It makes for a very attractive visual punctuation to the blockish southern side of the gallery. www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz

A Playful Eye

"Gadget" Ben Pearce. Photo Supplied.

Napier Sculptor Ben Pearce draws on the toys and memories of his own childhood in the creation of his contemporary sculptures. I find something innately joyful in his works, something that effortlessly unlocks the pathways to my own childhood memories. As far as I’m concerned, that’s what successful artistic communication is all about.