A while ago I posted “A Diamond is Merely a Lump of Coal That Did Well Under Pressure” At the time I was reflecting on the power of this imagery, how it encapsulates so many ideas about strength, inner beauty, hard work and so on. But take a look at the blood diamond calligram “Not … More Blood Diamonds – Not All Diamonds Are The Same
It seems that the OECD has been somewhat mischievous in its reporting of the gap between the rich and poor in New Zealand. One can only wonder why it has reported its “findings” in such a dramatic fashion. Why has it only told part of the story? Tony Alexander, chief economist BNZ, has looked closely … More NZ Rich – Poor Gap, Not What It Seems
“The gap between rich and poor has widened further in New Zealand – and in Sweden – than in any other developed countries in the past 25 years …. (The OECD report ) calls for “three pillars” of action to close the gap – investing more in education and training, helping all groups into jobs, … More NZ Rich – Poor Gap
“Storytelling is how we survive, when there’s no feed, the story feeds something, it feeds the spirit, the imagination. I can’t imagine life without stories, stories from my parents, my culture. Stories from other people’s parents, their culture. That’s how we learn from each other, it’s the best way. That’s why literature is so important, it connects … More Storytelling
When I saw Nigel Latta on TV talking about teenagers I was at first amused until I realized what a load of crock he was talking. Not only was he talking rubbish, but his theories about teenagers are not funny, they are dangerous. Calling teenagers another species or aliens is marginalizing and isolating them. Categorizing … More In Praise Of … Teenagers
Years ago I discovered a world where art intersects with words. Two of my passions gave birth to a third passion, calligraphy. I call my version of calligraphy letter art, where there are no rules or limits to what can be created. I might feel like doing a water colour wash then add letters and … More “Creativity Recognises No Boundaries”
I read an article called “Sylvia’s Story” in the Sunday Star Times April 17, 2011. It was about the thousands of women, war brides, who sailed to New Zealand after World War two to join their husbands who were New Zealand servicemen. It got me thinking that something extraordinary happened in New Zealand in the … More “War Brides”
I have finally found a door into a world of social commentary through art. Most modern and contemporary art leaves me feeling somewhat puzzled, wondering what point the artist was making, if any. I “get” that renaissance art as a visualisation of nature, religion and history; I “get” that Impressionism is a record of what … More “Social Commentary and Art”
Every now and then my daughter sends me something that she has read or heard that she thinks I’ll appreciate. I love this quote she sent me last week. I love it for several reasons: Reason#1 It’s a very powerful image, expressed succinctly and beautifully. Hmmm … diamonds … beautiful, light defracting gems that … More “A Diamond Is Merely A Lump Of Coal That Did Well Under The Pressure”
Look Up At The Sky 