Tantalising Turquoise

Shark feeding

2010-07-08T03:12:00.000-07:00

In a limited edition, original etchings signed and numbered:

iNK-

Title: Shark-feeding
size: 30 x 40 cm

Technical info:Drypoint needle etchings are the result of ink being forced out of the incised lines (rims) in a zinc or copper plate using a heavy press, leaving slightly raised ink on the paper and a characteristic plate mark showing the edges. The pressure on these rims limit the quantity of images possible to produce. Gradually the rims will be flattened and the image will vanish. The physical constraints of the media used, the technique involved and the amount of time required to hand-beat each image are all reflected in the price.

Etching is a form of art which is taught in many ways..

2010-04-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

In pure etching, a metal (usually copper, zinc or steel) plate is scratched with a pointed etching needle where one wants a line to appear in the finished piece. The needle tears up the metal and leaves what is known as a burr- a ridge of metal on either side of the furrow. It is this burr which gives the quality to dry-point etchings when they are printed. Working with the dry-point technique means hard-labour on your hands, pushing the needle in the metal leaves blisters and bruises notably on your fingers and hand-palm. Today dry-needle etching is disappearing, replaced by the effortless- but toxic- use of the wax/acid etching method.

Metal plate

Title: Shark-feeding
Technique: Dry Point Needle Etching
Size: 40 cm x 30 cm

Detail first press

On the detail you can clearly see the result of metal debris on the first press. Every line is "scraped" out of the plate leaving a little stack of metal at the end of each line which transforms into an ink dot. This "first dot" indicates not only the first press (the little stack is flattened under the press and won't appear on the second) but also the direction from which the artist worked the metal; in this case from top-to bottom.

Fakarava

2010-03-12T05:36:00.000-08:00

Several decades ago Fakarava was the cultural, social and political center of the Tuamotus, but all that remains today are ruins of the administration buildings, a prison, and a small church built from coral in 1862.

The biggest surprise was the profusion of small sharks that clustered around us, just like reef fish, swarming near when food crumbs were thrown into the water, 4 or 5 foot black tipped sharks, with lovely tan bodies. The pass diving is fantastic: with lovely coral, dozens of big sharks, and millions of fish.

Rangiroa

2010-03-11T22:56:00.000-08:00

The largest atoll in the Tuamotu Islands, and one of the largest in the world. The main villages are Avatoru and Tiputa built on neighbouring islands. They are separated by the major Tiputa Pass.

Each tide presses the ocean water-mass through the small opening into the lagoon, it creates a strong incoming or outgoing current. When the current is flowing inward through the pass, about 200 shark specimens gather at the entrance.

Fish is abundant near the pass, most evenings the men catch next days-lunch, when a shark accidently gets hooked it is thrown back instantly and fishing is stopped for the rest of the night.

The breeding of pearl oysters in the lagoon produces black pearls. In the small harbour of Tiputa the cracked mother of pearl is used to decorated the village house.

Maupiti

2010-03-10T07:31:00.000-08:00

a sparkling lagoon with every hue from lapis lazuli to turquoise.

How fortunate we were to stay in Pension Auira Chez Edna* a retired nurse– her place is delightful, Edna and Gilbert are a beautiful example of Polynesian hospitality, the beach and garden bungalows are a successful attempt to deliver comfort without upsetting the beautiful surroundings.

Edna thought me to braid some palm leafs for the natural roof of the beach-bar, while Gilbert took the men fishing. Maupiti " the little Gem".

*Chez Edna (fax 67 80 26; Motu Auira- Maupiti)

Raiatea

2010-03-09T05:04:00.000-08:00

To the ancient Polynesians, the island of Raiatea was known as sacred Havai'i, and was the center of royalty, religion, and culture. It's thought that the Polynesians who discovered and settled Hawaii embarked from Raiatea and named the new land after their home in French Polynesia.

Raiatea is very sophisticated compared to the neighbouring islands, - a paved "boulevard", a modern shoppingcenter and fresh market-

The island is most famous for its archeological findings "Taputapuatea Marae" is Polynesia's most significant, famous, and well preserved religious site.

Raiatea "The sacred Island".

Bora Bora

2010-03-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

Bora Bora is quite an extraordinary
place, contrary to the sparkling lagoon, the population seems a little shaken by the massive tourist invasions since WW2, countless stray-dogs in poor health, tourist attractions such as shark-feeding are disputable. Bora Bora " The extraordinary Island":

Some islands in the Pacific have banned shark-feeding because it changes their natural behaviour and disrupts the natural balance of the ocean ecosystem. To some locals shark feeding is disrespectful of Polynesian culture which considers sharks sacred and are offended by profit-driven dive operators who exploit them to entertain tourists.

Making a still-life requires sketching and a lot of observing, getting sunburned, meeting locals listning to their opinions, sometimes little crowds gather, mostly smiles and little signs or a few words of by-passers, ..
iNK-

Title: Shark-feeding
Oil on Canvas [60cm x 50 cm]

Working with oil on paper with bits and pieces of Mica-mineral.

Thank you Gerard Bion for kindly putting us up in your lovely house.

Huahine

2010-02-02T05:23:00.000-08:00

Huahine is retrospectively one of my favourite islands, wonderful landscapes and lovely inhabitants. Spending the days discovering the island, the local tourist-office representative was most friendly.

Extraordinary moments conversing with the local fishermen's women in charge of selling the freshly caught fish. Their kindness and sincerity with which they shared their concern about overfishing, their views on the central government in Tahiti, on their daily sales-schedule: starting by selling in the harbour then driving around the island in their "truck with -fish-in-the-back" delivering to the local community, a small scale balanced effort of catch-and-eat.

Drawing from the harbour:

iNK-
Title: Fishermen's woman of Huahine
Dry Pastel (60cm x 40cm)

Details

Fishermen's woman of Huahine is currently the 3rd most viewed artwork of the US 2010 summer- competition of Creative Divergents!

http://creativedivergents.com/999-fishermens-woman-huahine-harbour

Moorea

2010-01-31T02:34:00.000-08:00

Just a 25 minute ferry ride from Tahiti, Moorea is a relaxing "weekend getaway" location for Tahitians, it could almost be considered to be an extension of the island of Tahiti.

Moorea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian.

A fantastic artistic exchange on Moorea with Gilles Leguen and Maite Bouchard, both very kind and talented

Working with Gilles on a monumental made of driftwood and broken coral.

Works by Gilles LeGuen.

Abstract work by "Mineral" Maité Bouchard

We simply loved her company- her minerals-her tea&ginger- and of course her fantastic abstract works!

Tiki

2010-01-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

Tiki's are ancient stone carvings preserved in Polynesia and Easter Island, they often serve to mark the boundaries of sacred or significant sites. Tiʻi refers to the legend of the first man, is made from red earth and associated with the origin of the procreative act.

Tahiti

2010-01-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

Approach Tahiti Int. Airport Faa'a, a few days organising at the Fare Suisse Guesthouse, meeting lots of kind people, amongst others Seremaia Tuqiri, Fisheries Policy Officer -WWF South Pacific.

Travelling with a backpack

2010-01-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

Backpacking through the vaste territory of French Polynesia starting at Tahiti, to Huahine, Bora Bora, Raiatea, Maupiti, Rangiroa and Fakarava.

Maeva Tahiti!

2010-01-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

Maeva*Tahiti!
*(welcome)
In Māori mythology, Ika-tere or Ikatere is a fish god, the father of all the sea creatures including mermaids.On my way !

Polynesian waters are inhabited by 800 fish species shared between the lagoon, the reef and the ocean. The clown-fish which lives in symbiosis with anemones, the picasso triggerfish, the yellow Moorish idol, the emperor angelfish which fantastic colours have made the reputation of South-sea islands. The most spectacular and famous member of the family is the giant Manta Ray that has a wingspan up to 7.5m across, but of course grey shark, the tiger shark or the large hammerhead shark, 20 dolphins and whales species,the green turtle that can reach up to 1.5m and 230kg weight.