Security Pipe

To get to the New Plymouth Marina, you would need to go out on one of the breakwaters at Port Taranaki. About halfway out there is this weird security gate. It really is just a large pipe with a closed top and two sections cut out of the sides to make a couple doors. As I was drawing it, some boatie arrived at the front with a couple of bags to take on board his boat. He put them down and unlocked the door. He then picked up the bags, entered and closed the door behind him. From my point of view, I could barely see the gangway on the other side that leads down to the floating wharves. It gave me the impression that he was entering his tiny windowless apartment or that this pipe has some sort of Doctor Who Tardis quality where it is much roomier on the inside.

Call of Taranaki. Reo Karanga O Taranaki.

It was a terrible wet day today so we went to Puke Ariki and sketched the latest exhibition there.

Call of Taranaki.
Reo Karana O Taranaki. 

Twenty five of our leading contemporary Māori artists, all of whom whakapapa back to iwi in this region, are answering the Call of Taranaki.
Through sculpture, weaving, mixed media, photography, clay and painting, the artists celebrate their connections to Taranaki and the magnetic pull of te mounga. 

Ref:
http://www.pukeariki.com/Exhibitions/Call-Of-Taranaki-Reo-Karanga-O-Taranaki

Whenua 2013 by Donna Campbell

I loved this exhibition, particularly the clothing.

JOE'S GARAGE. New Plymouth.  The old State Hotel as I knew it before it was later known under various names as a bar and restaurant. An old wooden building in the grand style nicely renovated inside.
[ urban sketch, 0.01 drawing pen, Tombow water calours, Sept. 2013, MLB]

Joe's Garage.

Today we went to Joe's Garage on the corner of Devon Street East and Gover Street. Joe's Garage is in the renovated and restored State Hotel. The building is 147 years old, and a lot of the old features have been maintained and exposed to keep the character of the building. Past owners also donated old memorabilia.

Karyn Grant the current director has said:
"It's really lovely seeing this building coming back to life and rejuvenated because it really is a landmark."

Ref:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/7169514/Joes-Garage-revs-up

Here is my sketch:

Just a quick one today as I arrived late.

Upper Devon St

A new area of town, up by Joe's Garage Café.

Some bikers from Wellington, kindly stayed on as they let us finish their bike.

Mum joined us today, mum's perspective

My sketch of my mum drawing me.  Mum joined us today:

Trev

Mum of Trev

Liardet Street in New Plymouth runs from the sea to the gates of world famous Pukekura Park. Stylish villa's were build in the early 1920's and 30's  which enhance the street.
[ MLB, Art in Ballance . 0.01 drawing pen , Tombow colour pens and brush.] 

The fishing jetty at Port Taranaki is a popular spot and next to the marina. A lovely sunny day, last day of winter. [ 0.01 drawing pen , Tombow watercolour pens and brush]

What is the colour of the breeze?  A beautiful installation by Tiffany Singh for the 2013 Taranaki International Arts Festival. Chrildren ran through the lines of 1001 chimes , hands out to make the soft tones.  The wind did likewise.  MLB [ Tombow pens and brush]

What is the colour of the breeze?

Taranaki International Arts Festival 2013

Tiffany Singh creates a community-connected project using wind chimes to focus on the potency, energy and meanings of colour.

For this project the Govett-Brewster education team worked with Taranaki children who, in adorning each wind chime with the hues of the rainbow, created their own colour symbolism and wish for the community.

These 1001 bamboo wind chimes transform an open air cityscape into a sensory experience where people are surrounded by the colour and sound of the chimes. They hang from a spectrum of ribbons and create a vibrant large-scale instrument.

Reference:
http://www.govettbrewster.com/Events/Event-Details/e/1305/title/tiffany-singh-what-is-the-colour-of-the-breeze

The words that came to my mind were "Living Harmony", especially when the wind was blowing. Children loved it. They were running up and down making the chimes sound.

Here is my sketch:

This one was not easy. There was so much going on it was hard to know what to sketch!

Metro Plaza

The Metro Plaza is a pretty cool old-timey building that goes unnoticed. The two trees that I drew in this sketch are actually in front of the words, "Metro" and "Plaza". By moving them out a bit, you can now see the retro features, such as the type and the strange half circle design feature (which I am guessing to be made of steel). Also, it has oddly prominent front double doors that comes out of the upper floor. Stairs comes down on BOTH sides of the awning in case there is tons of people that need to get to safety in extravagance. It seems like a stage set to me where a musical could be performed.

At the bottom is an arcade with shops (not the kind with Pac-Man) that lead to a parking building. I remember that there used to be an American-themed bar in there that was closed once because it was a New Zealand public holiday. Still, other pubs were open and I though it was weird that an American bar wouldn't be open for the Super Bowl, which was the same day. Well, today it isn't there.