Alien flowers

Saw these while away for the weekend, I have no idea what they are but they're really interesting! Tiny little, odd looking things, with such amazing, vibrant colours and veins all over em. They looked like aliens to me. Anyone know what they are?

That Einstein... clever chap

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift." Albert Einstein

Eternal love

Naked bubba

People - the hardest book of all

One can never accurately read another... you can only make sure you're always aware of the fact you can't, then you're probably the closest you can be to truly reading another.

My words of wisdom for the day!

To the death!

We went to a kickboxing tournament on Saturday night - it rocked! Made me miss it dreadfully. Pissed me off though, I'd planned to take the camera and ended up leaving it on the bench. Silly billy! I'm really bummed - I always love fight photos, being able to capture the feeling is what I'm after. Seeing the anticipation and determination and nearly feeling the exhaustion - that's what I aim for.

It was a great night out, until the end... the second to last fight was an ultimate fight. It was brutal, I'd never seen one of these live, just on movies etc - and hated them then! Ultimate fighting is a combination of all martial arts. It used to be considered dog fighting for humans and I understand why. Two idiots (well this is what I think they are anyway) get in the ring and it's no holds barred, they beat the shit out of each other until one is knocked out or one taps out (which they don't do because they're tough) or until the referee stops it (which doesn't happen either!). It's two 5 minute rounds (I think it's 5 minutes anyway) where they just beat the snot out of each other using any means possible. Horrible. It was so dark. The feeling in the stadium went from excited, happy to dark and revolting and the crowd turned into blood thirsy animals, heaps of people got out of their seats and were leaning on the side of the ring, banging it and shouting at the idiots. It was horrible. Chris and I felt sick. They hold each other down and smash bare fists into each others heads and faces, while slamming their knee into ribs or kidneys. Truely revolting. A lot of the time I was gripping Chris in shock and fear. A horrible experience and certainly something that I wont ever be watching again. The chanting manic crowd was awful and it actually made me ashamed to be there. Yucko.

I took this photo about a year ago when shooting a karate and kickboxing tournament. I love it, I love the look on his face.

Inspiration

What inspires me? Inspires me to do what? I think I'm talking about creating - be it painting, shooting (photography not people!), graphic design, anything. Art itself inspires me - to look at anothers art excites me, it makes me want to create. To read about others work and what it means to them, to read about how they got where they are - it makes me feel good. It gives me hope - I don't know what it makes me hopeful about but it does. Perhaps just the hope that soon I will create again? I don't know. I think I need to get off my arse and do more. I feel the need to learn and develop. I don't think staying at home is for me. It's only been five months since Caelan was born but I'm bored, I need to use my brain, I need to be challenged. Don't get me wrong - I love watching my little boy grow and learn and absorb everything around him. It's amazing. I have a new found respect for humans since becoming a mother. The human is an amazing thing - truly amazing. It doesn't change the fact that I need more stimulation - finding the time for this is the main problem. As I'm sure any new first-time mum will agree.

I've always been a really busy person, I fill my life up with all this stuff - I have always worked long hours and given my job 110% (ok not always! LOL). I was constantly setting new goals and challenges for myself from triathlons to fighting in the kickboxing ring. The training was mad but I loved it. I was always trying to better my last training - run a longer distance, beat my last time, swim further and faster, get more speed cycling home, beat yesterdays ride to work time, constantly striving to perfect my form in kickboxing - it was all go. The rest of my time was spent with the love of my life and enjoying every moment we shared - we were constantly laughing and having fun (not to say we don't do that now of course! But there's more sleeping involved! And not so much madness), I painted as well and shopped!! LOL Oh the shopping - I LOVE clothes and stuff. I'm now an at-home mum who has no money of her own (I got quite used to my well paid job!) and doesn't do any of that. I need to start. I may go mad. I used to get cabin fever if I stayed at home one day. I just couldn't do it. I was always on the go. Surprisingly it's been a lot easier than I thought it was gonna be, this slowing down thing - I think I desperately needed a break after a difficult pregnancy, so it's just as well a baby came after that to enforce it!

Inspiration - please find me. Motivation - please engulf me. Dedication - please don't leave me.

Northland skies

DRIVING INTO THE OCEAN (DON'T GO OVER 100KM)


90 MILE BEACH


ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Hemi

It started off as a birthmark on my thigh, add a felt tip pen and Hemi soon emerged, drunk and excited to tell his whanau of the awesome trade he'd just made.

See ya Stevo

Such shocking and horribly sad news. I really feel for Terry and his kids - the poor, poor things. It's not fair and shouldn't have happened. He was an amazing man and offered so much to the world. I'll really miss watching his adventures. It's horrible and sucks. He really was a beautiful specimen!

Visit the tribute to Steve Irwin

NOTE: Photo by MGM for the St Petersburg Times.

Are you looking at me?

I traded in my boyfriend for a puppy

I love this! I find it hilarious. In my little pink t-shirt Chris looks like a dodgy guy who's dumped his boyfriend to do even more dodgy things to his poor puppy. Not a "good" photo but it's just so damned funny!

Paintings

A few of my paintings...

IN BLOOM

I love Pohutukawa trees, these are also known as New Zealand's native Christmas tree because of the bright red blooms which decorate the trees during the Christmas/summer season. They trigger memories of long, hot summer days and fun times spent with family and friends. Chris and I were also married on the beach next to one of these magnificent trees. They just feel like good times to me.

SAFFRON

The Saffron flower - of course I'd have to paint this flower huh? hehe Saffron is the most expensive item you can buy based on weight - more expensive than gold (one of my favourite things to say when drunk! LOL). Approximately 150000 flowers are needed for one kilogram of dried saffron. The most precious spice in the world. Well aint that nice? hehe I was painting this for myself but a friend who was moving back to London guilt-tripped me into giving it to him - thanks Viren!

MY WAY

I loved this piece. I painted the canvas first and then used a knife to put little holes throught the painting and pushed fairy lights through these, each light waas held in place with silicon and then I put a backing board on it. There was a control box on the back with which the lights were controlled - I preferred them all on but a lot of people prefered the alternating, dancing lights. There's a lot of sadness around this piece, I'd found a buyer for it (wasn't actually sure I wanted to sell though!), before any of it could go through the gallery curator disappeared without giving me my painting (as well as some other bits and pieces of mine). All were sold at auction to make up some of the money lost by the Real Estate company. It sucked and I tried really hard to get it back but couldn't :(

LIGHT AND DARK

A small red koru diptych. The koru symbolises new beginnings, life, growth and movement.

SUMMER BREEZE

Toi toi swaying in the summer breeze - it's a typical New Zealand beach!

BLOSSOMING

This is my favourite piece - it's huge and was done for above my bed. It's the width of a queensize bed and looks great cause the room is themed in an aubergine colour.