Garden Paintings

A New Series of Garden Paintings

 

This is the beginning of a series of garden paintings, I have always wanted to paint gardens as gardening is one of my favourite passtimes.  When I was a child growing up in the UK my Mother, Grandmother and I would make weekend trips to visit gardens and historic homes, these are some of my favourite memories.  The neighbours and relations gardens were just as interesting of course. 

 

When we came to New Zealand in 1961 there was a whole new world of trees and plants to look at, I can remember sitting in the dining room at the hotel in Auckland where we first stayed and my Mother asking someone what the flowers were in the vases.  They were gerberas and we had never seen them before.  That was just the beginning.

 

 

 

This painting was made from photographs I took while visiting a friends garden recently.

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective Blog

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2014

 

Eighteenth Century Slippers

Sophie Bank's Slippers

 

This is a watercolour of some eighteenth century slippers, I have called them

Sophie Bank's Slippers.  Sophie Banks was Joseph Banks the botanist's sister,

I believe that they were close as siblings go.  Joseph Banks travelled with James

Cook on the Endeavour when they came to New Zealand to observe the transit of

Mercury in the North Island in 1769.

 

Joseph Banks was responsible for the recording of many new animal and

plant species.

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective

 

 

 



A Green Forest Moth

The Exquisite Emerald

 

This green moth is known as the Exquisite Emerald, it is a beautifully patterned insect

which lives in South Island forests.  As a forest dweller it rests on tree trunks where it is so well camouflaged.   The caterpillars live on wild buttercups which grow in the open

near the forests, this is the best place to see it.

 

It has a cousin which lives in both Islands but has paler markings.

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective

 

All images copy right Frances Jill Studd 2014

 

Pohutukawa leaves from the New Zealand Christmas Tree

Pohutukawa Leaves

 

I made some small watercolours of Pohutukawa leaves which I collected from Point Chevalier in Auckland.  A row of very old trees stands in front of the small beach which is so popular in the Summer months.   There was a carpet of fallen leaves under the trees, they always fascinate me as you can find so many different colours all at the same time.

 

This time of year the trees are sporting their new Spring growth ready to burst into bloom at Christmas time.  Their blooms are heavy spiky red bundles which cover the trees attracting nectar feeding birds and lizards and of course the bees.

 

At Cape Reinga an old pohutukawa tree is believed to be the leaving place for the spirits of the departed as they begin their journey to the underworld.

 

 

It is probably the best loved of New Zealand trees.

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2014

 



Clematis in the New Zealand Bush

 

Puawhananga

Here is the puawhananga or New Zealand clematis growing wild in the bush.  This is one of seven varieties which grow naturally here, I have seen a beautiful green flowering one and also an alpine one but this is the most showy.  Clematis paniculata or puawhananga (flower of the skies) grows throughout the country in the bush, and is regarded as a harbinger of Spring by Maori.

 Across the valley on Waiheke Island I can see large showers of the white flowers, this plant is growing in the bush beside the cottage where we are staying.  It does particularly well here as there are no opossums on the Island.

 

 

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective blog

 

 

All images copy right Frances Jill Studd 2014

 

 

 



Knitted Art at Gallery

A Mingled Yarn at Tivoli

 

A Mingled Yarn is now showing at Tivoli, Oneroa, Waiheke Island, Auckland.  The exhibition includes knitted work made over a number of years for different venues, it was hung on a glorious Spring day on Waiheke Island.

 

The puawananga or native clematis is flowering in the bush in cascades of white against the dark green foliage, a lovely sight which welcomes us here each year.

 

The work in this photo is called 'Slips' for obvious reasons, and was made for an Art Fair.

 

 

If you are visiting the Island Tivoli is open from Wednesdays to Saturdays 10am - 5pm and is in Pendragon Mall, 118b Ocean View Rd, Oneroa. A Mingled Yarn will be on until October.

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective

Tivoli website

 

All images copy right to Frances Jill Studd 2014

 

A Knitting Exhibition

A Mingled Yarn

 

This is the poster for my exhibition at Tivoli.  

These are some knittings made from magazine features showing accessories and makeup. 

Makeup has a sense of theatre which is irresistible.  Even the word 'makeup' shows

that what it achieves cannot be real, just an illusion.  What is a 'madeup' person?

 

 

'A Mingled Yarn' will be showing at Tivoli, Oneroa, Waiheke Island, Auckland from

6th September 2014

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2014