Art Galleries

Friday was one of my customary busy days out and about. Went to Henderson with the Knitterati to look at an exhibition of quirky sculptures made from bits and pieces of metal junk, recombined in very clever and artistic ways, done by this Dutchman who lived in NZ and latterly out West Auckland, Peter Sauerbier. He died last year, in his 70s or 80s he would have been. He was a real artist. This one is called Beethoven in the Family Car.

Also joined in a knitting group there. The old Corban estate is now an arts centre and the knitting group meets in a lovely old villa, and the gallery is in another old one. I am resurrecting a beautiful baby blanket I made for E when she was expected 28 years ago - pale shades of orange, yellow and cream, all natural dyes, handspun wool and handwoven, and turning it into a cushion cover for my very hard computer chair.

Today we went to the refurbished Auckland City Art Gallery, the first day it was open to the public again. Anybody and everybody was there revelling in the excitement of new art works like the giant flowers by Korean artist, Choi Jeong Hwa suspended from the atrium ceiling, the Impressionist and other paintings gifted by the Robertsons (the Picassos are my favourites) and the old favourites we remember from the old art gallery. It is wonderful to have Albert Park brought inside, as it were, with big glass windows a feature of this gallery. Fifty per cent more wallspace too for hanging pictures.

Of course part of the old part of the former art gallery used to be the library and that is where I started my library career all those years ago in the mid to late 1960s before going off on the big OE.