Artifact
Exhibition of Contemporary Art
17 September – 4 October 2009

Robert Franken
Owen Mapp
Steven Myhre
Doug Marsden
Alan Wehipeihana
David McGill

TLC’s Management would like to thank current students and graduates for encouraging friends and family to enroll at TLC. Word of mouth has always been one of the most important ways for TLC to grow over the years. We would like to thank you for spreading your enthusiasm about the great work that is done here at the school.
TLC Management

The Market Mall in Lower Hutt’s central city plaza and the Learning Connexion joined forces on July 25th to stage a time based mural art competition to mark the official opening of the new indoor market. The artists were given just three hours to create a mural on the market walls reflecting either a market scene or a Hutt scene -- the paint was donated by Dulux.
TLC events co-ordinator Carrie Burke says “I think it is important that we nourish the community we are in”

Academy Galleries Wellington August 28 to 30th, with TLC tutors Anne-Marie Jean and Jane Blackmore and ex-TLC student Matt Guild.

The business of art, it seems, is an emotional one. Not many commercial transactions have falling in love as a prerequisite for concluding the deal. Yet artists themselves confirm, and many an art collector would agree, that falling in love with a piece of art is the number one reason for buying it.

Such is the experience of five artists joining forces for an exhibition being held on 28, 29 and 30 August at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. At a similar exhibition last year, the paintings of Wellington artists Jane Blackmore, Matt Guild, Anne-Marie Jean, Michael McCormack and Anna Stichbury were viewed by over 1600 people, in just three days. Many of the paintings left the building tucked lovingly under the arms of smitten new owners.

This year’s exhibition is set to be another crowd-pleaser. Over 65 original paintings will be on display, with all work available for sale, and visitors will be able to meet and talk with the artists over the weekend. The five artists have also conspired to help raise money for the Child Cancer Foundation. “The Foundation does an amazing job for children with cancer” says Matt Guild “and as a parent you are suddenly aware of how important organizations like this are.” The Foundation will receive the proceeds from an auction, featuring a painting donated by each artist. A cheque for $11,000 was presented to the Foundation last year, with hopes of raising at least $20,000 this time round. Guild says that it is “a pleasure for us to create individual pieces for such a good cause.”

The show is a fusion of styles by five artists who share the love of painting but approach it very differently. “It’s a rare chance to see a large number of diverse paintings in one space” says Anne-Marie Jean, “There will be something for everyone”. And as with all true love, there can be no telling who will fall for what. A visitor to last year’s exhibition was delighted, and her husband surprised, when she decided to use the money set aside for her 40th birthday party to instead buy one of Anna Stichbury’s paintings.

Anna Stichbury

The paintings on display will be of all sizes and prices. People can expect to see everything from the exquisitely small to the very grand, often snapped up for large living spaces and corporate foyers and boardrooms. Diverse styles aside, it was love and appreciation for all types of art that brought this group together in the first place. More particularly as painters “we are passionate about that process of laying the paint on the canvas” explains Jane Blackmore. But it is the rare opportunity to interact with the public that has brought them together again. “It is a pleasure to meet people who understand and appreciate where you are coming from as an artist, regardless of whether they buy or not” says Michael McCormack. “That kind of interaction is like sustenance– as an artist it helps you continue working”.There is a Public Opening event on Friday 28 August from 5.30pm – 8.00pm. Entry is free, with wine and nibbles provided.

This years exhibition is made possible with support from Grant Thornton, Kensington Swan, PrintStopPlus, Jackson Estate Wines and Billionnaires Catering. For more information visit the website.

Anne-Marie Jean

Jane Blackmore

Matt Guild

Michael McCormack

There are still places left on the following weekend class!

WHEN TO STOP PAINTING
Gary Freemantle

Saturday August 29 – 30

This course is very helpful for people who have problems deciding when a painting is finished. Do you often overwork your paintings and allow them to become muddy, confused or fussy? Everyone will have a different response to this question, but overworked paintings are a common problem. Gary will work with you individually and as a group to resolve these difficulties and allow you to produce lively, fresh paintings that express your ideas with fluency. Now we can start painting.

Emory Douglas, Minister of Culture and Black Panther Party
Public lecture: Emory Douglas and the Art of Revolution
Saturday September 19, Te Papa, 1-2pm
Soundings Theatre, Level 2

Elam International Artist in Residence, Emory Douglas, will discuss his practice and the art of revolution.

‘Of Women Born’
Group show with Jean Kahui and guests

September 8 – 13th
Thistle Hall Gallery (cnr Cuba and Arthur St)
Wellington

The exhibition involves artists from many fields sharing their talents and will include music, storytelling, dance and poetry readings. Jean will be offering small ‘Sculpt With Clay’ workshops at the gallery throughout the week (workshops will be two hour introduction sessions and cost just $10 per student).

Artist website: www.jeankahui.net.

Timeline:
Note: you can submit up to three (3) works.

Wednesday September 2nd All EM submissions must be with TLC by today! Large works and series submissions for on-site students due between 4.30 – 6pm.

Thursday September 3rd All other general submissions between 12 – 3pm for on-site students.

Saturday September 5th Hanging weekend – all help greatly appreciated! EM students are invited to join in, it’s a great experience (10 – 4pm with a free lunch!)

Sunday September 6th Finish hanging!

Thursday September 10th Opening night!! Exhibition opens at 7.30pm – come along, bring a friend or two!

Fri/Sat/Sun open 10am – 4pm daily Help with manning the show is always appreciated and any time spent helping can be used as Independent Study credits (make sure you fill in the form and get Carrie Burke to sign it off for you).

It’s always interesting to hear about what leads someone to discover their ‘thing’ in life. A chance remark, a sudden insight, a growing dissatisfaction with the way things are. In Vicky Walford-Bourke’s case, it was when her two daughters asked her to make them a ragdoll, having been disappointed with their store-bought ones. Always a “crafty D-I-Y kinda girl” Vicky set to work on creating a custom-made ragdoll. Little did she know that it was just the beginning – a first step along the road to creating a company she’d name Tinkadoodle.

Previously a wool-classer by trade, Vicky damaged her spine in three places whilst managing a small wool store and was forced to give it up. She retrained into art, craft and design and spent a year completing a Foundation in Textile Design course. She subsequently got married and had two daughters. But life didn’t proceed quite as expected. “My husband decided life with me wasn’t for him after all and I found myself the sole parent of two girls under the age of three!” she says. “I needed to create an independent income.”

Creating an independent income is no mean feat when you have toddlers to care for and spinal injuries to manage. “I had mobility problems and had developed fibromyalgia – a muscle disease. Anything repetitive would cause me great pain and partial paralysis,” says Vicky. “I had to manage both my work environment and activities to allow me to enjoy a productive, active life.”

It was the personal journey, however, that proved the most challenging for Vicky. “Over the years, Tinkadoodle grew to represent my personal challenge to freely be my individual creative self,” she says. “The problem was that I lived in a society that preferred me to please others first and conform to their standards and expectations. I denied and ignored myself in order to feel like I belonged. Constantly adapting and changing myself to suit outside standards and expectations was NOT a recipe for personal happiness! It left me craving to be my own self.”

To add to the litany of personal challenges, Vicky felt a strong aversion to traditional business models. “It all felt wrong to me,” she says. “The commercial viewpoint; the manipulative techniques of selling, were all games I did not want to play. But everyone else seemed so much more confident than me, so surely they knew better than I what to do! Actually, NO, they didn’t! Few people listened to what I said I wanted. Most just twisted what I wanted to fit their commercial viewpoint and pretended they were helping me. At the time I didn’t know the difference, except that it didn’t feel right! It was not how I wanted to be ‘in’ business.”

What Vicky learned in the process, was life-changing. ”It turned out that I had all the answers to my own questions the whole time – I just didn’t trust myself enough to listen! It has taken me years to realise all I ever wanted was to live a creative life; to see that my forte is as a creative, not a manager. While I’m good at both, I’ve recently discovered that the ‘manager’ side of me is constantly trying to kill off the ‘creative’ side. Here’s why.. managers like detail and plans; creatives love nothing better than to ‘wing it’. Managers like repetition and known results; creatives love the unknown and exploring ‘what ifs’. Managers like rules and boundaries; creatives just want lotsa space to play! They are complete opposites!” she adds.

The way forward is now crystal clear for Vicky. ”I want creativity to be the dominant force in my life. My goal now is to be Tinkadoodle’s Creative Director – creating new designs and patterns which I will then hand over to someone else to produce. I have no idea what I will discover along the way and that scares the bejeepers out of me! I am having to leave behind everything that makes me feel safe and secure. But I am sure that with TLC’s help, I’ll find my way. Courage is said to be doing what you’re afraid to do; there can be no courage unless you’re scared. So I must be on the right path!”

You can find the Tinkadoodle shop and studio at 181 Adelaide Road, Newtown, Wellington. For more information, visit the website (complete with online ordering facilities) at www.tinkadoodle.co.nz.

A Radio Active 89fm Event
August 13, 2009

The nationwide DIY music video competiton, Handle the Jandal will be held at Wellington’s Embassy Theatre, Thursday October 29, and is now calling for entries from far and wide. Anyone can enter and potentially shower themselves in golden-sprayed glory.

Handle the Jandal is the annual competition that matches rising music stars with up’n’coming filmmakers, so all videos must be completely self-funded and may only use New Zealand music.

As such, the entries feature already-filmed videos for musicians alongside the creations of emerging filmmakers. But many of the most memorable videos come from groups of buddies who get on the booze, create a concept, wake up with a hangover and shoot what happens.

The deadline for entries is 5pm, Monday September 21, 2009. All entry requirements, specifications and further information is available from Radio Active 89FM’s website radioactive.fm, ph 04 801 9899 or email Hadden Morrison on hadden@radioactive.co.nz

Radio Active 89FM has been the principal supporter of Handle the Jandal for 11 years now and has roped in a kick-ass line-up of fellow supporters. Kraft:Haus return to transform the Embassy into a giant Music TV show, making it a truly unique event in New Zealand.

Panavision are gearing up for the prize pool, to be announced soon, alongside Portsmouth, who is donating a truck-load of filmmaking goodness for a Golden Jandal winner. Park Road Post is donating studio time for Golden Jandal winners as well – so the cream of this year’s competition will be well set up for future filmmaking endeavours.

Juice TV are squeezing us with coverage kindness with Jandal video promotion and Manky Chops art gallery is slicing through our art and printing needs.

Info pack and entry form at radioactive.fm

Hadden Morrison, event director: 04 801 9899 or hadden@radioactive.co.nz

Radio Active 89FM’s
Handle the Jandal DIY Music Video Awards
October 29, 6.30pm
Embassy Theatre, 10 Kent Terrace, Wellington

2008 Handle The Jandal promo: