Timeframe update

Due to unforeseen complications, the deadline for the project has been extended. There is still plenty of time to get involved yourself or pass on details to others you think may be interested. Get them to give me a buzz on 021 175 3713.
Now expect the artwork to be completed around mid-end July? Feedback forms from the community so far indicate a desire to see visual images that represent the green spaces, the blue water, the pohutukawa flowers, the wildlife, historic buildings, cultural iconography... we shall see what we can do...

Newsflash!

Met with lovely ladies of the Coyle Park Art Group yesterday, and then spent time with my niece in the park, itself, taking photos and making rubbed prints of various patterns such as tree rings and text on sculptures...
Keep morning of April 30th free. I will be at the community centre available to talk to people and give updates on the project and also discuss how YOU can get involved. There is still time...

Post Saturday meeting

Had to get hubby to stand in for me as needed to attend hospital appointment. Hubby was very good at getting a few more people on board. Have now made contact with a local painting group, and hoping to do an arts workshop with some residents at Selwyn Village. Also may have my first pieces of 'source material' to be collated later this week. Things are a-moving forward...

Second Public Meeting

Second meeting for public to liaise with artist is this coming Saturday, March 19th at the Pt Chev Community Centre. Market will also be on so is a good time to check out what's new with the art project plus do a spot of shopping. I personally recommend the home-made jam stall, and the greetings cards, what a bargain! :-) Artist will be available from 9.30am until about 11.
Met with the new manager at the centre, Theresa MacDonald, this morning (Thurs March 17), followed by a meeting with Detlev from the Auckland Council. Feel that the project has been on the backburner for the past month or so due to family commitments post Christchurch quake, but it's ready to push forward again now. To date, have 27 feedback forms filled in by community members (more would be good) and some general, common themes are emerging. Seems like people want to see something that visually represents the history of the area, the landscape with a focus on the green parks and sea, something that acknowledges the colours used by local sports teams (green and white), something celebratory of cultural diversity...challenge is how to bring together a whole load of diverse visual material into something contemporary and cohesive. More updates to follow...

Meeting Saturday Feb 19th

First public meeting this morning. Not quite so public, more kind of "intimate" with a very small crew attending, but still have faith we can make something awesome and will get lots of community input via my one-on-one meetings if the public stuff doesn't go so well. Is hard to get folk to give up a beautifully sunny Saturday morning to sit indoors in a meeting! 

Also visited the Pt Chevalier Community Centre monthly market. Some quite cute stuff and some great bargains. Market will be on again when I hold the next meeting on March 19th. Head along if you can...

Feel that ideas are generating around the work and have a couple of really good volunteers on board. Am in the process of tapping into some art projects that some of the kids at Pt Chev School are doing this term, all to do with the history and architecture of the area.

Public response so far is very receptive and welcoming and everyone is keen to something fresh, new and exciting in the space.

newsflash

Anyone out there who's reading this blog, don't forget there'll be our first public meeting explaining the project this coming Saturday, Feb 19th, 9.30am at the Pt Chev Community Centre. Hope to see lots of peeps there!

Before shot.

Here's a pic of the wall as it currently is. We plan to create something digitally that can incorporate a huge variety of different media in a montage-type of format. The digital panels will be mounted onto aluminium, possibly fronted with acrylic, will be durable and long lasting. The panels or tiles will be fixed securely to the wall, which will be waterblasted and repainted in a single flat colour. Content and style of the artwork will very much depend on what the community of Pt Chevalier requests and contributes.

Thanks to our sponsors so far: The Auckland Council, Creative Communities NZ and the ASB Community Trust.