MIKE: Of the galleries I visited last week, Fine Arts has recently featured works by Michelle Colson, acrylic on boards, chiefly circular. "Making art is an opportunity to be immersed in the present moment," she says. Her paintings consist of strong, fluid patterns, swirling over the boards, reminding me of a land mass or an archipelago. It is comforting to know that this is an acceptable view, as Michelle's statement makes the point that the viewer's personal interpretation is all important.
Famous Five was the name used by Steven Selfe, owner of Expressions, as the title of the present exhibition at his gallery. In the August edition of the Awa Events Guide, however, it is titled Awesome Five. Perhaps Steven's term was too reminiscent of Enid Blyton! The common factor of the five artists' work is the use of recycled materials. Wellington-based Stuart Gray employs old tin containers — Tetley's Tea, Edmonds Baking Powder, Bell Tea, plus a quaint commemorative item of that ill-fated pairing of the royals, Charles and Diana. Arms, legs and heads, fashioned from metal objects, have been added, resulting in some weird and wonderful figures. The same can be said of Ray Woodhouse's lamps, which I found exceptionally appealing. I was not at all surprised to read that he was a winner in the 2017 Waimarino Arts Awards. Light Flight resembles a large, fearsome insect, with two wings made out of copper. The same idea is applied to the even larger Neutraluzer, with its overarching wings. Well known for his skill as a woodworker, Peter Shepherd, who now has his own gallery, the Red Door, at Putiki, has two attractive coffee tables on view, glistening with a highly polished sheen. Steven Pryce makes good use of driftwood for his constructions, and the quintet is completed by Gavin Buxton and his Scandinavian-inspired lamps. The female complement to the group is Judy Flatt, whose abstract acrylics gained her the Waimarino Novice Award in 2017.
In addition the gallery is displaying a large number of wooden panels, rescued from oblivion during the refurbishment of the Opera House. Covered in signatures of and comments by performers of bygone years, they should prove quite a drawcard for those of a thespian bent.
MIKE: On reading last week about Peter Ireland's unfortunate experience when an important piece of luggage was lost on an InterCity bus, I felt a great deal of sympathy for him. It was a déjà vu moment for me. Last year, travelling from Whanganui to Auckland, we went to collect our two cases from the driver, only to find a black trundler missing. There was a somewhat similar item standing unclaimed. It had no label, and, when opened by the driver, was clearly destined for Rotorua. Hamilton had been the stop where our bus would have met the one for Rotorua. So, despite having both a personal address label in Auckland and an InterCity tag naming SkyCity as its destination, my bag had been carelessly picked up in Hamilton by somebody en route for Rotorua. It was most annoying, but at least InterCity was able to retrieve it for us within a couple of days. No such luck for Peter!
As we stood disconsolately at SkyCity, we were approached by Donald Trott, who had travelled up on the same bus. He told us that, at any major stop, he always gets off and ensures that his luggage has not been removed. A good idea, perhaps, but should it be necessary? InterCity provides customers with green and white tags on which simple details — name, address, phone number, destination — can be written. Several drivers have insisted that these be used, as well as any personal labels, as it makes it much simpler and quicker for them to sort the luggage. In my opinion, these tags should be made compulsory, with the addition of numbers printed on them. The tag is attached to the luggage item and the owner retains a numbered stub, as per raffle tickets. Airlines do this. Why can't InterCity? Admittedly it may take an extra couple of minutes' organisation by the driver, but it should obviate the problem of lost bags. Also, as there are only two major stops on this route, Taumaranui and Hamilton, it would hardly prove onerous or time-consuming. It is high time InterCity tightened up its procedures and took more responsibility for its customers' welfare.
