Tina's Blog Homepage » Life & Whimsy

Old Brain stuff

Tina — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 20:23:15 +0000

Am reading Zizz! The life and art of Len Lye, in his own words and found this great quote:

“When I’m in the mood to draw, I cultivate a vacuous, seaweed-pod state of kelp in my skull. Attached to a pencil, I doodle in a bemused attitude. I try to create shapes that seem significant. One type seems to be about nature – rays, galaxies, primeval plants and organic forms, viruses, birds and so on, usually benign – and the other type, such as triangles and diamonds, is geometrical and decorative … I don’t have to wonder what on earth I will use as the starting point for a painting I lay out my stored-up fund of doodles and select the one my Old Brain is in the mood to commune with.”

Wonderful ceramics

Tina — Mon, 04 May 2015 20:59:01 +0000

While in Wellington recently I visited an exhibition of Bronwynne Cornish’s work. It was brilliant to see these pieces ‘in the flesh’ – and even to take photographs.

Hager makes some good points

Tina — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 23:54:04 +0000

Dirty Politics makes some really insightful comments about the media and voting. Hager may sound idealistic, but wouldn’t it be great to aim for a fair and transparent style of politics in this country? Here’s one point he made that really struck me as interesting in light of young people being turned off voting:

“… the trick of political media management is not to get this or that press release covered; it is about ‘framing’ how journalists perceive issues … Which brings us back to the quote from Simon Lusk in the first chapter. ‘There are a few basic propositions with negative campaigning that are worth knowing about. It lowers turnout, favours right more than left as the right continue to turn out, and drives away the independents.’ In short, many people simply stop participating in politics. If politicians cannot be trusted, if politics looks like a petty or ugly game and if no one seems to be talking about the things that matter, then what’s the point of bothering to participate? Just leave them to it. There are innovations in US Republican Party thinking on this point: election tactics do not have to be just about winning votes; they can be equally effective if groups of people in society just stop voting altogether. We should not assume that everyone thinks low voter turnout is a bad idea.”

From the Auckland launch

Tina — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 05:27:36 +0000

Here’s a pic from the book launch in Auckland … poet Janet Charman giving her witty opening speech.

Moon over Mt Tauhara, Taupo

Tina — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 06:20:02 +0000

An inspiring thought

Tina — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:12:15 +0000

“If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do. ‘Cause that’s all there is. What we do, now, today… If there is no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness is the greatest thing in the world.”

from ‘Epiphany’ – Angel – Season 2, Episode 16, by Tim Minear

A Mahy poem

Tina — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:41:08 +0000

I was sent a copy of a poem from the memorial service for Margaret Mahy who passed away last week. Doesn’t it really make you think of her writing?

THE FAIRY CHILD
The very hour that I was born
I rode upon the unicorn.
When boys put tadpoles in their jars
I overflowed my tins with stars.
Because I sing to see the sun
The little children point and run.
Because I set the caged birds free
The people close their doors to me.
Goodbye, goodbye you world of men,
I shall not visit you again.

Aliens in Auckland

Tina — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 05:40:30 +0000

Next time you’re walking along St Paul Street, look up!