Week Two: Conversations with Colour
“Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” – Claude Monet
My second week has been more focused and purposeful, and I’ve totally settled in like the sound of a long ‘exhale.’ The excitement of the previous months leading up to this residency, followed by the rush of arrival and the setting-up has faded, having been replaced by the quiet companionship I have with my paints, my brushes, and the myrid decisions and the problem solving that accompanies the painting process(es). I’ve found myself talking to my colours — not literally (well, mostly not) — but enough to notice when I haven’t hit the ‘nail on the head.’ This is when a wiser person than I would go for a walk! …. But not me … I continue to paint and repaint somewhat impatiently. I really have to work on this aspect of my Capricorn-ness! Born 9 weeks early … couldn’t wait then, and haven’t been able to wait ever since! That’s why I paint in acrylics and not oils!
The Rawene light has its own ideas too. It changes its mind every few moments, particularly at the dawn of each day. Mornings always begin ‘expectant’ and in my mind, kind of like an orchestra tuning-up. From the back end of the church, away from the road, the eastern skies and land distance across the Hokianga waters beneath, is a generous vista. I have uninterrupted and spectacular views through the beautiful pairs of lancet windows situated above the sanctuary platform at the eastern end of the nave, and from the kitchen in the ‘vestry’ annex, for this daily dawn performance. If I’m really lucky, as soon as the sun rises above the hills across the harbour, the walls of this old church glow as if the sun has found ‘religion.’ If I said that my blues, purples and greens argue about who gets to be in charge, while the rest of the palette waits patiently for their turn to bring balance, I’m not joking!!!
I’ve met more of the locals and creatives in this region, when invited to cross the harbour on the car ferry and attend an exhibition opening at the Village Arts Gallery on Thursday, late afternoon in Kohukohu. ‘Ngahere’ – celebrating our forests – is a group show by local artists, but was also an opportunity for the ‘movers and shakers’ of Creative Northland to come and enthusiastically offer artists their new extended creative platforms, recently implemented, for Northland creatives. It was well attended and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to engage with this most welcoming group.
The respite from my frenetic city routines is a curious kind of freedom — knowing there’s nowhere to be except exactly where I am. Although I’m still ready to face the day at 6am, (never needed a lot of sleep), I’ve thought this morning that I might have taken on some rather ’bogon’ tendencies. Pulling on the same painting clothes everyday, without washing the hair most days, not wearing a bra if I’m not intending to go out, or putting on makeup is a ‘yeeha’ kind of freedom. So is what I’m quite content to eat… like a poached egg on toast with marmite for dinner, a toasted sandwich, or leftovers at 10pm, because I’ve been on a painting roll and rotating the same plate, mug, glass and knife and fork is quite liberating.
But my painting discipline is focused, alive and well, and it’s mostly because of this wonderful opportunity I’ve been afforded. I promise to wash my hair and wear a bra for my breakfast meeting with Lynn Lawton tomorrow morning, (co-owner of the Gallery and Residency), at the newly reopened Parnell number1 Gallery Café. He’s here on Gallery/Cafe business, but I’m sure I’ll be having to put into words my painting progress, now on a 2-week reflection and with a 3 week forecast. I’m well aware that this conversation will help ‘propel’ me into the new week.
Linda Gair Week 2 October 2025
