Book Club news

Books, Holidays and an Art Exhibition

A lovely time catching up with some good books, not that I need to use holiday time as an excuse. I always have books on hand.

Books seem to provide inspiration, questions and insights and it has been good to share these at book club. But last year having retired I found having a clean house and tidy garden and being able to read heaps was not it! I needed more than that.

So now I have reinvented myself .

I am making mosaics, not pretty pictures, but rather picking up a theme from something that has spoken to me from a book.

For example There was a comment in “the Night Watchman” about any aid the US Government gives to the Native tribes is like paying rent for the whole of the USA  I used that comment for a mosaic.

I have just read two diametrically opposed books, One “Human Kind” says basically mankind is kind, caring  and wants to do good whereas the other “Brutal Truths” says that people are selfish and will let you down.

Interesting  points of view and both leave you with much to think about but truth is usually not black or white. Must admit my preference was “Human Kind”.

I am reading “ Fire Country” at present, written by Indigenous  land management expert Victor Steffensen and it highlights how using cultural burning practices could help restore the Australian landscape. And reduce the out of control bushfire that plague this continent.

How we need to hear the voices of  those that have lived in this country long before the settlers arrived. I can think of a mosaic to pair with this book.

Three of us are planning an Art Exhibition in the Waihinga Centre at Easter entitled “Our Realities” 

Debbie Dixon is an amazing photographer and she had one of the most beautiful dogs I’ve ever seen but unfortunately she died last year, so her contribution is “Walks with Ruby”.

Then Kate Caie, a talented artist, she had an exhibition in England in 2019 and her display is “ Nostalgia”.

Lastly me with my mosaics called “Art of the Activist”.

So put this event on your calendar for Easter Weekend.

Glenys Hansen