Studio work April/May 2025

29 April 2025

Trying a study of The Great Pikao Swamp panorama photo in a smaller size. There are 2 layers for each painting, but very unhappy with the sequence as a whole. It is very inconsistent (thanks to watercolour and me).

Plus, some paper stretched around a stretcher frame and wooden panels dipped in the river mud bath.

THE GREAT PIAKO SWAMP, NOW BEING RECLAIMED BY THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT [1908-10-22 Auckland Weekly News Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19081022-08-03]

1st layer #1

1st layer #2

1st layer #3

2nd layer #1

2nd layer #2

2nd layer #3

Stretched, but not soaked.

Dipped in water & mud, but I was a pretty tough on it.

And the dried version. Now to paint.

The dry version.

The painted version.

Stretched around a wooden panel, dipped in river mud/water. Still wet.

And now dry.

Stretched around a wooden panel, dipped in river mud/water. Still wet.

And now dry.

Painted version.

An experiment with butter paper painting on wooden panel. If stretched over a frame, would those show fragility?

Car is now packed, roll of paper, plastic, tubs, drop cloths, rope - ready for a dip in the Piako River..

So the result was mud everywhere... and hopefully a piece of paper I can paint on. It's drying now.

Waihou River

Roll of paper floating in the river, plenty of mud around.

Me covered in mud. Looked much worse than the photo. Dropped phone in the mud, so end of pics!

Kahikatea berries at Turua, baby trees so I can see the berries - normally they are very high up.

Kahikatea berries

Looking down on the farmed Hauraki Plains from Makomako Marae

Paper drying in studio - paper very soft and easily disturbed. The other side iss covered in mud, but I could not safely flip it to dry.

A torn piece showing the mud on reverse.

1200 x 900mm frame.

Dried, and stapled to stretcher frame at top.

Cropped - if all sides were stapled. 1200 x 900mm

Part of the whole piece. Looks like vegetation, flax.

Part of the whole piece. Looks like trees.

Part of the whole piece. Looks like the back of a woman in a bonnet.

I had assumed I would paint the large piece once it was on its stretcher, but I'm very reluctant. It seems to me, that it maybe telling the river's story without any addition from me. I can see so much in there - foliage, trees, a European dressed person, a urn? I will soak another roll in the river this week, and stay away from too much mud.

A second piece that has been soaked in the river, it has some mud but is clear for painting.

Trying to imagine the two side by side and butted up to each other..

Studio work April/May 2025

Share this post

Added to cart