A gift of greenstone

When I arrived in New Zealand, I bought a little ponamu (greenstone) Koru in Greymouth to signify new beginnings. I like it a lot it but somehow whenever I wore it I felt there was something wrong. The Maori Elder who helped me with my identity project last term told me that greenstone should only be worn if it is a gift and that my koru had been telling me that.

Today I received a gift ... some very cute earrings from friends at school made of greenstone, paua and silver. I have worn them since I got them and this time I feel delighted and comfortable.

Techie shopping

>>at the tuv shop.
Something to smile about. (Thanks Pia!)

Springtime in Dunedin

Spring has sprung. Blossom petals waft down onto the Leith River and students stop for a minute to look as they hurry between classes.

Sculpture workshop

I am learning sculpture techniques by making kiwis ... first a model in cardboard. It had to be at least one meter long and not use glue or other sticking/stapling mechanism.

Then a metal kiwi ...

Then a wooden kiwi...

Ceramic magic

Music again. Music of course.

Yesterday we unloaded the kiln. The good, the bad and the ugly. The ceramics that had been given up as failures were often the ones with that 'zing'. The magic of ceramics is a magic difficult to control. A bit like watercolours really.

Up and down again

Yesterday was 22C and out came the T-shirts. Today is 7C and there was snow on the hills when we woke this morning.