Remote quirky and creative

By chance Fiona read that on the drive from Dunedin to Curio Bay via the coastal scenic route we could drop into the Lost Gypsy Gallery. What a hoot!! And those who having been following Fiona's blog will have seen some of the photos in this post - strange as it may seem we often find ourselves taking similar shots.

It would appear that over the last 14 years Blair Somerville has created a place of fun, art and ingenuity. He has taken so many found objects (junk, rubbish call it what you will) and turned it into quirky creations that demonstrate both skill and an understanding of science and engineering.

©2012 Barry Smith - The bus that was parked 14 years ago and started it all

 The place is literally crammed with creations and decorated walls, paths, seats etc etc. Fiona and I spent quite a bit of time just marvelling at this gallery at the end of NZ. Some of the photos just give a slight peek into that world.

©2012 Barry Smith  - A great sense of fun

©2012 Barry Smith - The creative space

©2012 Barry Smith - Fish that seems to make a statement

©2012 Barry Smith - Magic carpet rider?

©2012 Barry Smith - Gulls from the tunnel?

©2012 Barry Smith - Fiona players the recycled rubbish organ

©2012 Barry Smith - A rust and wood star?

©2012 Barry Smith - Live like a river flows

And some photos offered the opportunity for altering.

©2012 Barry Smith - Altered photo of a oscillating chain

©2012 Barry Smith - Gulls from the tunnel - altered

©2012 Barry Smith - A tunnel - altered

©2012 Barry Smith - The magic carpet rider - altered

©2012 Barry Smith - Ghostly hands - altered from Dunedin Art Gallery photo

It is amazing what we have discovered on this journey so far. 

A seagull and a beach

On our way into Dunedin via the coastal route we checked out Aramona Point. The scenery was a picture and relaxing; but this seagull took my eye – such red feet that contrasted with the rocks.

©2012 Barry Smith - About to take flight

©2012 Barry Smith - About to take flight - altered

A ‘friend’ of ours (Liz) suggested that we might like to do the Tunnel Beach walk outside od Dunedin – it will only take you about a half hour. Well it was a lung busting hour walk that tested our fitness. But there are some things that are just worth it.

One of the early landowners had the tunnel carved through the rock to the small beach below so his family could enjoy it – without the tunnel it would not be possible to get to the beach because of the sheer sandstone cliffs.

©2012 Barry Smith - Light at the end of the tunnel

©2012 Barry Smith - A wave of sandstone on Tunnel Beach 

©2012 Barry Smith - Looking up to the light

©2012 - Looking down on the serenity of Tunnel Beack 

2012 Barry Smith - Rock cove next to Tunnel Beach

A couple of altered Tunnel Beach shots.

©2012 Barry Smith - Ghostly steps

©2012 Barry Smith - Fiona as the ghost of visitors past.

 And a couple of 'miscellaenous' leaf and feather shots from beach walks.

©2012 Barry Smith leaf and feather after the tide

©2012 Barry Smith - Battered feather amidst the flotsam

©2012 Barry Smith - Battered feather amidst the flotsam - altered

©2012 Barry Smith leaf and feather after the tide - altered

All photos taken with the trusty iPhone of course.

Steampunk and rust

Fiona and I visited Oamaru - known to some as the home of Steampunk - or at least those 'in the know' see it as being the home of Steampunk HQ.

We loved the town for its many many artists and galleries - making great use of many derelict white sandstone buildings - our kind of town. And what made it even more our sort of town was the many pieces of rusting machinery etc that were 'preserved' around the Steampunk HQ and foreshore.

Thought I might share a few photos of the Steampunk HQ; and rust associated with it.

Steampunk HQ - great use of a derelict building

Steampunk loco

Rescued rust - rusted team train rescued from the harbour?

Rusted shipping marker

On its way to becoming a post apocalyptic steampunk machine?

Another steampunk creation

Part of the Steampunk HQ rust collection

Rusted links

Layers of rust

Rusted stone cutting blades

Fragment of rusted tractor wheels

What I loved about SPHQ and the folk who ran it was that whilst they had a leaning towards the steampunk genre they also had a love of recycling, rust, making stuff - and a good sense of fun in their creations. I felt there was a fun post apolcalyptic leaning to there work.

And given all the photos were taken with the iPhone some of the rust provided a good opportunity for alterations.

Layers of rust - altered

The Steampunk Ghost Train???

The beauty of altered rust

And of course I have many more rust photos to share at a later date and maybe on the Rustlust Tumblr site.

Post card from Auckland

Fiona and I have been walking the streets of Auckland. Foot travel always gives one the opportunity to capture a few of the bits of public art, textures and structures. As part of this Auckland postcard I thought I'd just share a a very very small number of photos of 'public art' I saw and captured.

Stacked stone arch  - entry to our local park

Rusted figure - appeared to be part of a small art precinct

Series of peace murals - restored and transferred from original wall to poster wall  

One of the many peace murals

One of three installations in Western Park by John Radfrord recording three demolished historic buildings

One of many word seats in Lorne Street - beautiful stone carving

Fiona up close and personal to the lettering

A flight of birds as a fragment of a larger sculpture

One of a series of peace doves suspended  in a lane

Beautiful larger post installation on the waterfront 

Painting of children in a window on a derelict building

Of course what one sees and then what one captures on the iPhone is but a very very very small fragment of what the world around us offers - but at least we drift through it with eyes open. None of the photos have been altered in any way hence the fact that many are not quite framed well.