Cath Sheard Art

Blog

  • Revisiting old techniques

    Revisiting old techniques

    My art practice is a mix of art and craft; my art has been centred on collab with Penny Kirk for our most recent exhibition in Greymouth. When it comes to crafting, for months I’ve been working predominantly in my Dina Wakley Media journals with DWM paints and stencils etc. Love love love … but also feeling the need to change things up a bit.

    During the Covid-19 lockdowns in the UK artist Dyan Reaveley started doing online classes, as she couldn’t teach and travel as normal. Although converting GBP to NZD is pretty gruesome, I was fortunate to do quite a few classes and loved them.

    I decided to rewatch the videos, knowing there’d be techniques and ideas I’d forgotten about. Sure enough, I’m loving the videos and am having fun working in a Jumpstart journal I had squirreled away.

    I don’t normally complete a page at a time. The Jumpstart journal is blank pages on the left, and a colour copy of one of Dyan’s pages on the right. I start by using the babywipe method to colour a bunch of left hand pages, stencilling as I go. One that’s dry, I randomly add borders, cut shaped edges, add silhouettes and so on. Then I outline everything, doodle and add faux running stitch around elements. I sit in front of tv with Alan in the evenings, with a couple of sizes of black and white pen and just flick my way through adding details.

    None of these pages are finished, but they show work in progress…

  • Playing in my small journal

    This is a 6×6” kraft journal; the pages are thick and take all kinds of punishment, but they do soak up a lot of glue etc. To get the brightest colours I put a layer of clear gesso down first.

    The page with turquoise circles is a printed transparency from Dina Wakley Media that I’ve painted on the back then tipped in, so the page underneath peeks through.

  • Starting the year with some art

    I try to do something art-related or crafty every day … I call it moving my hands and downloading my head. New Year’s Day is no exception.

    We slept in, then I went through to Hawera and picked Tony up. He sat in the car while I did a couple of quick errands, then we had McDonalds at the park. He was tired as he’d stayed up to watch a movie last night, so I took him back to the rest home sooner than usual.

    I’ve spent the afternoon at my art desk, emerging occasionally to talk with Sandra or check on the ASB Tennis with Alan. I’m working in a Dina Wakley 6×6” kraft journal. When I finish this one I think I’ll swap back to Dylusions for a bit – I feel like changing it up a bit.

  • Another year ends…

    Once again I haven’t blogged regularly, and that’s ok. I share my art other ways now, and blog when I feel it’s useful, whereas 10 years ago it was the only viable channel for sharing. 2023 has seen a lot of changes.

    I no longer post about Tony on FB because I don’t feel he can truly consent. I visit 5 or 6 times a week, ring every day, take him out to a cafe fortnightly; he’s loved and cared for. He’s also well stocked for flavoured water, sugar free lollies, Vape and fruit! He prefers being in Trinity and finds the care suits him better … plus the resthome cat, Marlie, loves him.

    Penny and I had a collaborative art exhibition, Shattered Landscapes, at Left Bank Art Gallery. The art we make together is so different to our solo work, and it’s a joy. I think all artists could benefit from working collaboratively and learning to let go. We haven’t started a 3rd collab yet, but strongly suspect we will.

    I returned to my usual role as Libraries & Cultural Services Manager, after a period as Acting Group Manager. We’ve got exciting things coming up, including the opening of Te Ramanui. On the flip side, I feel things are going to get harder as climate change, politics, economics etc contribute to increasing incidents of aggression toward front line staff.

    By best friend of *more decades than we admit to* lives with us. Sandra introduced me to Munzees this year, and we’ve been out and about playing the online game. Her long- suffering dog Bruno comes with us; he hates the car, but hates being left even more.

    Alan and I have been to quite a few places this year, most recently a couple of nights in Ohakune where the weather was dreadful but the landscape was stunning. Prior to that we spent a few nights in Christchurch as he had hand surgery. We wandered the Riverside Markets, met up with his daughter and her fiancé, and ate amazing food. Who knows where we’ll get to next year…

    I’m looking forward to 2024 and all it will bring my wee household. I hope the coming year is kind to you, bringing love and laughter.

  • Arting it out

    This is always a difficult time of year for me. The couple of weeks prior the anniversary of Mum’s death I’m unsettled and restless. I have weird dreams / nightmares complete with dead people, sick babies, blood and hospitals. I think my brain goes back over all the stuff I’ve dealt with through the years with caring for my Aunt J, Mum, cousin Alison, and Tony and repackages it. Not exactly relaxing… this year it’s made worse by going to Burwood Hospital with Alan on the anniversary of Mum dying.

    The best thing to do is move my hands and play in my art journals. I haven’t done enough of that lately, for various reasons. I’ve made lots of backgrounds, and finished a few pages. I feel a bit better for it, but know I need to do some layouts where I pour my heart and head out onto the page.