Grazing in Unison
We visited the Gibbs Farm for its impressive sculptures – but their animals are also a great attraction. (February 2017)
For more black and white images check out Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White.
Auckland - West
Mainly West of Queen Street - seen through my lens
Category: Kaipara
Pyramid (Sol LeWitt, 1997)
Another giant sculpture from the Gibbs Farm. Its full title is “Pyramid (Keystone NZ)”. Built from standard concrete blocks, it stands 7.5m high, on a 16x16m base.
With regard to the second picture, it should be pointed out that climbing of the sculptures is not permitted (a guard arrived after some time and stopped people climbing).
More Skywatch images at the Skywatch Site!
Pyramid (Sol LeWitt, 1997)
Red Cloud Confrontation in Landscape (Leon van den Eijkel, 1996)
Another work from our recent visit to the Gibbs Farm. Harmonious colours in unique setting by Leon van den Eijkel.
25 cast formed and painted concrete cubes 17.5 x 17.5m. (From this angle and in the given light, all of the plinths appeared to have black sides; but there are some red ones amongst them, in case you are wondering about the title. See picture below.)
Red Cloud Confrontation in Landscape (Leon van den Eijkel, 1996)
Horizons (Neil Dawson, 1994)
We had the good fortune (thanks a million, Stephen!) to be able to visit the Gibbs Farm yesterday. A huge property of undulating land on the Kaipara Harbour, containing a good number of sculptural works whose size matches the size of the grounds. This sculpture by Neil Dawson is entitled “Horizons” and measures 15 x 10 x 36m. Welded and painted steel. It shows the ubiquitous corrugated iron as if having floated down from the sky.
“Dawson’s is one of the few works that can be seen from the road, which is fitting for its trompe l’oeil suggestion of a giant piece of corrugated iron blown in from a collapsed water tank on some distant farm.” (From the Gibbs Farm brochure.)
Check out the sculpture on the satellite view of Google Maps; when you zoom out, you will note a few more of the sculptures (Anish Kapoor‘s “Dismemberment” is the red one, 85m long).
More Skywatch images at the Skywatch Site!
Horizons (Neil Dawson, 1994)
Horizons (Neil Dawson, 1994)
Gibbs Farm
Kaipara Coast
On the descent from Mount Auckland. Pylons carrying power across the rolling country of the Kaipara Coast.
Hot Chocolate
The Arts Stop Cafe in Helensville is a great place to have a coffee or other refreshments. Interesting furnishings, second hand books, art of all kind, not to forget good coffee and in this case a hot chocolate on a matching table.
Variable Oystercatchers (Haematopus Unicolor)
Continuing yesterday’s theme of oystercatchers, we show a pair of Variable oystercatchers at Shelly Beach (on the way to the Kaipara South Head).
For more weekend reflections, go to James’ Weekend Reflections site.
From Mount Auckland Walkway
Our good friends Hanni and Bernhard asked us to join them on the Mount Auckland (Atuanui) Walkway. Mount Auckland is about 80km from Auckland in a Northwesterly direction, along the Kaipara Harbour. If one takes two cars, one can walk up to the mountain top and down the other side, rather than having to retrace one’s steps. This photo was taken after the walk of about 4 hours, when we returned to the car park at the southern end in the late afternoon.
More Skywatch images at the Skywatch Site!
Detail of the Mural at CUE Haven
Doug Ford has featured on this blog before, as creator of murals and numerous painted roadside cabinets (telecommunications and traffic control). Last Saturday we had the opportunity to paint a mural under his guidance at CUE Haven, a former farm along the Kaipara Coast Highway, between Kaukapakapa and Glorit. On previous days, Doug had outlined his design on the three walls of the former milking shed (now nursery), and when we arrived he deployed our talents with skill and good humour. You see him in his red hat below. Another group of people was due to continue the work on Sunday, and eventually Doug will clean it all up to meet his artistic standards.
CUE Haven is a 59 acre farm, now being converted back to New Zealand native bush, the vision and initiative of Tom and Mahrukh Stazyk. They were splendid hosts for the occasion, and made evryone feel part of the project. Tom explained some of the developments that had taken place so far, duly acknowledging a number of sponsors (RESENE paints were foremost on our day, of course).
Read more about CUE Haven.
Tom; Doug and Mahrukh; Doug Makes a Point
Progress
Everybody Paints
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