The Greek philosopher Plato gave his lectures in a sacred olive grove on the northwest side of Athens. We are a long way from ancient Greece here in New Zealand but this month I discovered the wonderful old olive grove in Cornwall Park which was originally planted by Sir John Logan Campbell in the 1860s. Unfortunately the grove was not a successful commercial venture. Not many of the original trees remain but those left have grown into dramatic twisted shapes and rabbits have made their burrows amongst the roots. It is a quiet spot to walk in the morning although the hum and bustle of the surrounding city can still be heard. The grove also has lovely old stone walls bordering the field.
Some olive tree leaf prints and their trunk forms will no doubt work their way into my next paintings with the beautiful soft greys and greens as a starting point. Years ago I was fortunate to study some philosophy (including the philosophy of art) as an undergraduate at the University of Auckland and I think an olive grove would be an excellent place to learn, albeit perhaps in a warmer climate.
Looking over my artwork of the past month there is a mix of work inspired by Tahuna Torea (Glendowie Sandpit) reserve and garden pictures made using leaves from my own small overgrown garden. An Osmanthus Pearly Gates plant is flowering in the garden at present and it has a wonderful scent. Winter can sometimes be a difficult time and it is small things like this that can give one a lift. The promise of Spring awaits and I’m planning some experiments with printing using petals in my artwork when the season changes.
Soft Lemon Balm Garden (above)
Orangerie
Akeake and Kawakawa
This month I visited Auckland Museum and was captivated by the exhibition by Areta Wilkinson and Te Rongo Kirkwood. The contemporary cloaks by Te Rongo Kirkwood are impressive, incorporating glass, flax and other materials. The use of glass in these cloaks creates interesting light effects and patterns. They are fragile, beautiful and fascinating. Each cloak represents a different phase of life. (Pictured below are The Midday of Life and The Evening of Life on the right)
I love the idea of creating artwork that reflects a passage of time in this way. In my own work seasonal changes over the year are reflected in the size, shape and availability of the leaves and foliage that I use as paintbrushes and printing tools. The choice of colours is also influenced by the transitions between seasons.
For Corokia Studio this month I have been working on some fun stuff including new products and a book project. Corokia Studio art prints and iPhone cases are now available online at Society6.
Garden in Blue (below) is a new artwork inspired by cool winter days and nights in my garden that I’ll be adding to the Corokia Society6 shop soon.
I’ll finish my blog this month with this little painting that I did on the weekend on an offcut of gorgeous primed linen. It feels somewhat like a pastel confection to brighten up a cold winter night.
Celeste Sterling 