down under.... exploring treasures on the shore

Queen Charlotte Sound, South Island

I have been in South Island, New Zealand for three and a half weeks. My other half is on his retirement 'trip of a lifetime'. to the Cook Islands.   I, not keen on hot, humid beaches, get to tag along and remain in South Island whilst OH goes tropical.  Better still, I persuaded son to join us for part of the journey, and to be my companion while OH fulfils his dream. 

I haven't been to New Zealand for 9 years, since my last attempt to work here as a GP locum ended prematurely due to personal challenges at the time. But now I am retired, and this was purely a holiday. A chance to revisit this country that I love so much. One more time......

So many things I had forgotten about. The space, the quiet roads and the colours of the ocean. The sunrises and sunsets, the sounds of the crickets drowning out the birds in the bush. The single lane bridges on many roads, the delightful cafes that serve tea in a teapot with bone china cups. I love it all. 

I had also forgotten how the nature conservancy department is battling continuously against imported predators that destroy the natural vegetation and birds. On every hike we passed many traps and monitoring devices for possums, stoats and rats that do so much harm to the indigenous wildlife and plants. But that's another story, and if you wish to know more, you can read what son has to say on the matter here. He says it so much better than I ever could.

View from Mou Waho island ( a predator free island ) on Lake Wanaka.

 Three and a half weeks on the road with my other half. That is a long time to be in close company. Away from my studio space and all my art materials. I knew that I would have to work on something creative whilst away, so I am carrying a small box with pencils, crayons, some Japanese paper and a cyanotype kit. 

How do I do cyanotype when travelling and staying in clean modern Airnbs? Good question. 'With difficulty' is the answer. Cyanotype chemicals are seriously blue, and stain everything in sight without a moments hesitation. The biggest challenge was finding a place to be safely messy, and some glass frames. I bought second hand frames from a charity shop, and acquired a large cardboard box to be  messy in from the supermarket. I have attempted wet cyanotypes in several places, but the constraints of keeping everything clean, and the lack of a shady spot to set up was a challenge. I have made several exposures, but as yet none are washed, as I will need to do that in the safe space of my studio, where I can make make as much mess as I like while hanging them out to dry. 

Being on the road makes it difficult to have a meaningful project. I didn't really find a focus for my attention until our last place of stay, when OH had been safely packed off to his tropical island, and son and I settled for a few days in Kaikoura.  We were living right next to a spectacular beach of white limestone. Wonderful formations of folded rock, and some pebble and rocks that looked like porcelain. I was hooked. 

​

the beach at Kaikoura

Limestone formations at the beach in Kaikoura

Limestone rock, Kaikoura

son enjoying sunrise over the beach at Kaikoura

I have never seen so much white rock. With so many interesting patterns and crevices carved out by history over millions of years. I found myself researching the geology of the area, and learned that the limestone is 50-60 million years old. It is the result of the laying down of sediment layers of tiny marine organisms called foraminifera (there's a word to love...) . When they float they are a component of plankton; something that the many whales in the area consume in vast quantities.

These barely visible creatures have a shell made of calcium carbonate (chalk) , and when they die this gets compressed on the ocean floor over millions of years. Never before have I been so enthralled with the geology of a location. Billions of tiny sea creatures squashed over time into pure white rock. Quite extraordinary in my view.

I searched for images of foraminifera and found some beautiful illustrations on the Picryl website, from the 1904  book of Ernst Haeckel.

Illustration of foramifera by Ernst Haeckel

Looking at the rocks and pebbles knowing that they were formed from these microscopic sea creatures filled me with a sense of wonder. I spent hours sitting on the beach photographing them, drawing them and observing the tunnels and patterns on their surface created by sea creatures that must have crawled through the sediment many years ago. 

​

​

my favourite Amuri limestone rock from Kaikoura

Amuri limestone rock, Kaikoura

Amuri limestone

Nothing makes me happier than a 'project' to work on. It doesn't matter to me what comes out of it. What matters is how much pleasure I gained from exploring the beach and sitting with my chosen stones. My attempts to draw them were hopelessly unrealistic, so I resorted to a 'no pressure' technique of drawing them without looking at the paper. This created some pleasing, rather 'childlike' abstract patterns, that I hope to work with when I return to my studio in Rye. By manipulating them to black and white I am exploring the possibility of  printing the images as photo lithography prints. 

blind drawing of a small rock

B&W conversion of a 'blind' drawing of my favourite rock

Now I am waiting for a plane to bring me home. OH is safely returned from paradise. Son has flown back to Canada. Normal life looms. 
​
As I left the beach abode I felt tears rising. A sign that I found a special place, and also that I had enjoyed special days with my son. 

I thought this was going to be my last trip down under.

Now I am not so sure.......

Playing with stones at Gore Bay ; a grey pebble beach with occasional pure white stones.