New Zealand baby fur seal at Peka Peka Beach

Baby Seal at Peka Peka

This baby seal was seen at Peka Peka Beach recently, it is quite usual for seals

this small to visit our beaches as they are left to fend for themselves by their 

mothers.  This one was playing in the shallows but approached a family

 and went up to sniff their hands.  The Department of Conservation advises

that they should not be approached and dogs should be kept on leashes.

Someone in Raumati South returned from the beach to find one on her porch,

and it didn't stop there going inside her house to sit by the fire for about

ten minutes. It also ate the fish she had saved for her supper.  

The number of seals visiting our beaches seems to be rising as they recover from the
being harvested for their pelts in the eighteenth century.  They are now fully protected
but are sometimes caught in nets from fishing vessels.

Photos courtesy Stuff .co.nz

Bird and Beetles from New Zealand

The Extinct Huia

The Huia bird is now extinct, I made this drawing using a photograph of huia skins

which are common in our museums.  They were beautiful birds of black and

white with much valued tail feathers with a white tip, they lived only in

the North Island and had very limited flight using bounds and leaps to

travel through the trees.  In 1901 the tail feather became a fashionable item

to adorn hats and hair after being seen on the Duke of York's hat when he

visited New Zealand, this and predation as well as loss of habitat led to the 

extinction of this lovely bird.  This drawing is a lament, I have called

it Huia Singing in the Kowhai.

Here are some of our native beetles, New Zealand has an amazing 

selection of weevil and other types of small insects.  Many are most active at

night so the black paper seems to suit them.

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2018

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A New Exhibition at Gallery 85

On Friday my exhibition opened at Gallery 85 at 85 Glasgow St

Whanganui.  The exhibition includes work from my 'Mantle' photo series

 of reworked historic clothing, also a small set of drawings

using more recent garments.

This drawing is called 'I Moved My Arms Around' which it taken from

a song about swimming.  The top right swimsuit belonged to Marilyn

Munroe.

This drawing is just called 'Slippers' and comes from a shop window display.

'The Red Dress' from a desirable model in the 50s.

A mantua from the historical garments used for 'Mantle'

A dress with a lace bodice also from the 'Mantle' series.

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All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2018

Drawings of clothing

Drawings of Clothing

Here are some drawings of clothing, I began to make these after seeing

celebrity sales such as the clothing of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.

I wondered what remained with the clothing that made them desirable.

This is Janet Frame's Gown, Janet used to live around the corner from us

in Whanganui.  We enjoyed tea parties with her, eating Boston Buns

and biscuits with copious amounts of tea.  It is a star spangled dress as she

had been writing her biography at that time which gave her great acclaim.

Janet's Day Dress

This is a watercolour of a Christening Gown, finely sewn with lace

inserts and a family heirloom.

This is a beaded cardigan, I can remember these being worn and they were

made in New Zealand, maybe in the 70s.

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All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2018

 

A Lost Wilderness in New Zealand

A Lost Wilderness

This is a painting which I made from photographs of a local  wetland which

has now disappeared under an expressway.  I have called it

Morning Glory after the bright blue/purple flowers which

bloomed around the grasses and other wild flowers.

Once a haven for ducks and other birds only a few now visit

and usually during the shooting season.

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2018

Knitted Spoons from New Zealand

Knitted Spoons

This work is called  'A Deal with the Devil'  and is now on display in the

 Small Sculpture Award Exhibition at the Community Art Gallery in Oneroa,

Waiheke Island, Auckland.

I started to make it during the last American presidential election and it refers

to an old English saying: 

He who sups with the devil must use a long spoon

There are eleven spoons made with different types of yarn.

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All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2018

World Water Day from New Zealand

Two Lakes on World Water Day

Here are two paintings of New Zealand Lakes for World Water Day.

The first is Lake Rotomahana made from a photograph taken in

1865, and before the massive Tarawera Eruption which took place on the 10th of June 1886. 

 Several villages were buried and 150 people died.

There were some portents of the forth coming eruption and I have tried

to capture the foreboding atmosphere.

The second one is of Lake Tarawera from  Wairoa in 1873.  Before the eruption a ghost

canoe was seen on the lake by one of the tour guides and bubbles of very fine

glass floated to the surface.

Both of these paintings were made from historic photographs, Mt Tarawera was blown

apart from the force of the eruption and the Pink and White Terraces which were an

important tourist attraction were destroyed.



Frances Jill Studd website

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All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2018