Studio work August 2024
- 7 August 2024
I saw some butter paper for sale and decided to try that out - seems very relevant as in the early decades of the 20th century kahikatea timber was used to make boxes in which butter was exported to Great Britain. Unlike most other woods, kahikatea did not taint the butter.
"Britain’s shipbuilding industry faced serious shortages of masts and spars in the late 18th century. The reports of Cook and Banks encouraged timber vessels to look to New Zealand. Among the six timber ships known to have visited the Waihou River at this time were the Fancy in 1794, the Hunter in 1798 and the Royal Admiral in 1801. These vessels took spars of kahikatea, a soft timber which was in fact unsuitable for naval purposes."
[https://teara.govt.nz/en/hauraki-coromandel-region/page-5 accessed 7/8/2024]
[https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11681/kahikatea-butter-box accessed 7/8/2024]
More relevant than tissue paper. These are small studies I've done using granulated watercolour paint, Waihou River water, and butter paper. At the moment the original photo is dictating the size.
Stripping the Makura Canal by hand.
Pigs prepared for shipping to Auckland at Dalgety Bros. Farm at Pipiroa
Pipiroa School Calf Club Day with gift bags of Moose Meal. My grandmother, May Keith, 3rd from left.
Our house on the Waitakaruru Straight - SH25.
The first cattle sale on the Hauraki Plains at Pipiroa 1913 - my great-grandfather is in the picture.
Transport on the Piako River 1910
Snagging the Piako Rover 1912.
Dairying on the Hauraki Plains, Auckland; A settler at Pipiroa, Piako Swamp and the nucleus of his herd.
Hot spring at Pipiroa.
I'm very pleased with the results at this small scale, so I'll enlarge the size. Especially the sepia-coloured version, rather than the charcoal. Need to get a tracer!