Vision block: Struggling to see

---

"Obsession is essential to creativity" 

I don't know who penned that quote, but I think it's on the button. You may have heard of creative people stating they have "blocks" - writer's block, painter's block and so on. I feel right now I have vision block.

As a person who likes to photograph the world around me, I sometimes feel that I cannot escape the obsession to photograph. My camera goes with me almost everywhere, and I have certainly now invested some big dollars in camera gear. It is not that I feel I must somehow justify it's existance - it is more that I just want to delve deeper into the parts of the equipment that help me to truly see the world as I wish to see it.  Lately, however, I cannot see. I look - but the looking is casual, like a glance - the depth is missing; the context lost; meaning waits uncrafted.

There exists within me a kind of weary urgency - that I might miss something, if I do not have my camera with me. I fear the passing of a moment; so vivid,; so imbued with life and energy; passed over to someone else's vision, should I not capture it inside my camera. I fear what the world would be like, if I could not view it through my lens.

So - there is always the need for vision and the obsession with seeing. 

The block to my vision appears to be tangible right now. Perhaps too many other things in my world standing in my way - blocking the view. Certainly, I know creative energy and vision goes through ebbs and flows, and it is perhaps this natural drawing in - pulling back, that allows one to be in that creative space again.

For now, I take my camera with me anyway;  a trusted companion - like a guide dog - in the expectation it will lead me towards a sense of vision, again. Until then - everything is blurry.

Playful Pup: The New Zealand Sea Lion/rāpoka

Every year in summer, on the Otago Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand, something special happens ...

... mature female sea lions seek out secluded, safe locations in which to birth their young (pups).

The Otago Peninsula this year, saw an estimate of 15 pups born, which is the highest number recorded since 1993. The New Zealand sea lion is endemic to New Zealand and is one of the most regionally localized and rare of the world's pinnipeds. It is classified as a threatened species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Females form into harems of up to 25 and are attended by a single dominant bull. Other males remain around the periphery and occasionally challenge the dominant bull. These challenges result in aggressive displays and fighting as the dominant bull defends his harem. 

The female is in heat for two weeks after giving birth, and at times this can result in the accidental death (due to crushing) of a newly born pup, as bulls attempt to mate either with a pup or the mother.  A mature female will give birth to a single pup every one to two years and will continue to suckle her pup for the first year of its life. If a breeding female dies during a pups first year, it is quite likely she will also be carrying a developing fetus; this means three animals could be lost - the mother, the pup and the fetus.  As sea lion pups are totally dependent upon their mothers for milk and protection during that first year, if left alone they are extremely vulnerable.

This wee pup was practising his "domination" through play-fighting with several other pups that were part of a group of females on the Otago Peninsula.  It was interesting to see a single adult female "in charge" of the young ones, whilst the other mothers were out feeding.  She kept a watchful eye over the youngsters and was quick to call them back in if they wandered too far away.  Interestingly, just like wilful children, the pups were eager to stay away playing, and they put on an entertaining display of character and comedy for onlookers.

Whilst the opportunity to photograph these curious cute pups was not to be passed over, I was also mindful of how we do not want sea lions to become used to human company.  They are naturally curious and will follow people simply to check out what is going on. Adults, in particular adult males during breeding season, can be very aggressive.

Let's admire this 'dog of the sea', but most of all, let's protect them by giving them space so  that numbers on the Otago Peninsula can rebound.

Brewster Hut Wanderings

Tucked high up above the Haast Pass highway, accessed by a steep uphill grunt, is the stunning location of Brewster Hut. The old 4-bunk bivvy shown in this image, was replaced (but still stands) in 2007 by a smart red up-grade which sports 12 bunks in a separate room, with a large warm cooking area, well-equipped with tables, stools and sweeping views of this exposed ridge along with the snow-clad Mt Brewster (2515m) beyond. Earlier in the day before I captured this shot of the wee bivvy, I climbed with a friend to the less-challenging, but equally worthy summit of Mt Armstrong (2174m). The climb from Brewster Hut rapidly propelled us to wonderous views across the Makaroa Valley; towards Mt Aspiring and Westland. It was something else. 

Gaping crevasses yawned up at us from glaciers far below; testimony to a millenia of glacial retreat as they scarred their way backwards, forging out the valleys we were gawping at in awe. The summit of Armstrong falls steeply into the David Glacier by way of sheer cliffs towards the east, and can be accessed from the south-east ridge via the Makaroa Valley, whilst the less-forboding approach from Brewster Hut is via the exposed north-west ridge. The scramble onto the summit is over loose scree and slabs which would be tricky when descending in wet or icey conditions; none-the-less, the view was well worth the extra few hours return from the hut after the steep walk up from the highway far below.

The hut quickly filled with excited trampers and day turned into night, along with a drop in temperature as the forecast bad weather system rolled in. I captured this image as the clouds lowered and the light was at its last ditch attempt of brilliance. Early in the hours of Sunday morning, after a sleepless night, I ventured out of my sleeping bag to go to the "loo with a view'. Large fluffy snowfalkes gently meandered down towards the ground in a silent eery calm as the hint of a new day began.  I stood for a while and looked upwards towards the sky. In that moment, away from the stresses of work, I felt completely at ease and happy. A snow flake landed on my face, and I reflected upon the privilege of experiencing a simple but divine  existance for 24 hours.

Photo Choice of the week: Oamaru Sheep in infrared

Curious sheep "blocked' my view in an attempt to capture this old stone farm shed in infrared, recently. Using a wide-angle 14mm lens on a friends infrared converted camera, I thought these sheds would look amazing in the surreal tones infrared offers. However, I was not so keen on having the sheep in the image! These animals were so curious and friendly that they came right up to me while I sat there attempting to photograph from the view point I wanted to capture. The resulting image with sheep included, in my view, enhanced the context rather than detracted from it, adding to the mood of the image and giving it a focus.

I love the way infrared manages to represent what the world looks like in my dreams. When I process an infrared image, I want it to appear as if I have dreamt of the scene I captured. I want it to appear both impossible and possible at the same time - 'other worldly'.

Canon 6D converted to infrared (680nm); 1/160sec; f/16; 14mm; ISO 50

Photo of the Week: Old Sheds, South Canterbury

I often drive by these sheds when travelling north from between Oamaru and Timaru. I cannot remember their exact location, but it is somewhere near St Andrews in South Canterbury.

I have seen these old sheds swallowed up by the vivid yellows of rapeseed crops and the stark dryness of the post-harvest ravage.  They are iconic - representing an era of industrious hard work by local farmers, at a time when the land was managed by hand without the advantages of modern machinery.

On the day I took this image, the mist sat heavily suspended all the way from north of Timaru right through to Oamaru. It made for an eery, envelopling atmosphere which created an ideal back-drop to capture these two old beauties.

Photo of the Week: Carey's Bay Calm

---

Carey's Bay was named after David Carey, one of Otago's early settlers and entrepreneurs. Coming from Sussex, he originally settled in Waikouaiti before moving to Ōtākou in 1843 and then to Carey's Bay in 1850. The settlement  of Carey's Bay was, however, originally known as Mansford Town, with the Carey's Bay Hotel (built in 1874 and then named The Crescent Family Hotel) being built by the then Mayor of Port Chalmers, Henry Dench, from gold money. The settlement was a thriving spot back then and today is a popular place to visit; also housing a small marina.

Photo of the week: Empty.

---

There is something slightly eery about an empty fairground. 

The promise of physical abandonment lies in wait as the equipment takes on a surreal presence under a darkening sky.  I lived in this town once and was always drawn to the summer-time "pop-up" fairground, which adds a carnival atmosphere to the otherwise tranquil Caroline Bay area of Timaru, New Zealand. It is, however an interesting juxtoposition against the industrial background of the port buildings - the lights of which can be seen in the bottom right-hand corner - also emitting a carnival-like glow to a busy hive of activity, whilst the fairground waits for daylight.

This image required very little editing - just a sharpening tweak.

Canon 5Dmk4; 24mm

50 sec @ f22; ISO 50.

Acquiescence

noun

1. the reluctant acceptance of something without protest.

---

Today is a public holiday in New Zealand (Aotearoa). It is the day we commemorate the signing of Te Tiriti O Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi); the treaty, which by all accounts, is supposed to be our guiding document; informing all matters pertaining to tangata whenua in this country, from education, health, housing, employment relations, access to land rights and use, and much much more. It is a document that has been largely mis-understood and mis-interpreted, but not by those at the time who stood to benefit; it is a document that has created a disconnect for Māori; a great unravelling and a fight for mana.  It is a document that has a lot to answer for.

I suppose at the time, the British had hopes of acquiescence, in exchange for blankets and guns. The pervailing attitude of the 'natives need civilising' persisted throughout the world where ever the British landed. For Māori the chance to defend their tribes with white mans weapons, may have appeared appealing, but for centuries their system of fighting during 'war season' had worked well. That is until colonisation ensured there was little control over land, tribes, access to resources such as seafood and the gradual but very real loss of tikanga and the gradual decline of Te Reo Māori particularly in the South Island. It was a hoped-for acquiescence ... until Maori re-gathered their mana and pushed back.

These trees in Southland stand strong, through pushing back; yes they have acquiesced somewhat to the prevailing winds, but they have not fallen - they remain a landmark on the winding roads between Tuatapere and Riverton (Aparima).

We all need a little "Aroha"

I much prefer the Maori word "Aroha" to describe feelings of love and affection; it just feels better off the tongue and has an all-encompassing meaning. It relates to all of the five senses, the ego, the intellect, and is more expansive than just one word. "Aroha" can also be thought of as the breath of life and the creative force of the spirit; it assumes that the universe is bounteous and it seeks to draw out the best in people.  "Aroha" rebuffs greed, aggression and insensitivity - instead galvanising actions that are munificent.

This particular representation of "Aroha', I crafted from silver and various colours of gold. It features a fob-style handmade chain, from which the pendant can be removed.  It is a generously proportioned piece and deserves to be seen. 

Photo Choice of the Week: Black Water, Routeburn Track.

One of the best things about being a teacher is

the long summer break that enables sufficient time for mental recuperation and preparation for the year ahead.

This summer, rather than heading away overseas to Vermont, as is my preferred way to spend the school break, I opted to stay put. Not being one who looks forward to the hot, humid days, I vacillated frequently before submitting to the idea of a New Zealand summer. It turned out to be the perfect choice; for many reason, but mostly for the opportunity it afforded me, to explore.

I spent much of my six week break, away on various tramping missions in the lower South Island, mostly focused around Otago and Southland, but venturing north to Banks Peninsula near Christchurch.

My last sojourn, was to walk over half of the the Routeburn Track from the Glenorchy end (Routeburn Shelter). This New Zealand "Great Walks" track is 32 km long and straddles the Mt Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. If walking from the Routeburn Shelter direction, the destination is to The Divide, some 85 km's from Te Anau.

The track houses several very well-kept large huts, as well as up-market lodges for guided walkers. I found the terrain that I covered (one hour below Harris Saddle), to be visually stunning and geologically diverse. I would not call it a technical track and it could easily be walked end to end in a day with an early enough start. Interestingly, when I left Glenorchy, the temperature that day was predicted to be 30 degrees and it easily would have been mid-20's when I set out at ten that morning. At Harris Saddle (1250m), a warm jacket was required and a beanie would not have gone amiss! 

This image "Black Water" was taken below the Harris Saddle on the Mt Aspiring NP side, at Lake Harris. The temperature was dropping and the threat of rain loomed.

My photo choice of the week: The Southland Farm, New Zealand

In ten days I will be back to work in my job as a high school teacher (I am not brimming with joy about this). During the summer break, my destination of choice is often USA, but this summer, I decided not to go and instead focused on seeing some of New Zealand that I have never seen before.

I had some wonderful adventures into Mt Aspiring National Park; into the back of Arrowtown to visit historic Macetown; but the area that I have enjoyed the most so far has been southern Fiordland. I really wish to go back and explore further into this incredible part of New Zealand, an area so rich with stunning scenery - beaches beautiful beyond belief; tall ragged mountains; lakes and lush green forests. Too much.

On my way home however, I ventured back through the Catlins, an area I am very familiar with. Driving south of Owaka, I saw this farm with its rolls of silage freshly wrapped and ready to be stored away for winter. I thought what an iconic scene this is, along with the typical wind-blown trees that typify this part of New Zealand. Couldn't resist a snap or two.

There is so much to explore right on our back door steps. Even though there are aspects of being in USA (Vermont and Connecticut) that I have missed this time round, I have been so struck by the beauty of New Zealand and all there is to offer us outside our front door. I have been very appreciative of warm summer days and the chance to explore.

Fundraiser for Dolpa Education Development Project

Well yes I know we have just had one of the most expensive times of the year (Christmas), here in New Zealand, and gifting money is the last thing on the minds of many of you. Even though I primarily wish to support the village of Changu Narayan through this website, I made many contacts through the people who live in Changu Narayan, one of who was a young teacher called Pema Tsering Gurung. This young man is utterly driven and passionate about bringing the best possible to his village school Tashi Sumdho Primary School in Dolpa, very high in the mountainous area of Nepal where condtions are harsh.

Pema has reached out to me for help. So I have started a Givealittle page for his cause. Recently he sent me a breakdown of how much money he actiually needed for the school. A total of $1300 NZD would provide a multitude of school supplies including sports equipment, plus pay the wages of a cook for 6 months - YES - 6 months!

This fundraiser will run for about 6 weeks and in that time I really wish to raise the money he needs.

The fundraiser requires moderation - where I get an initial donation or two. Please, even a small amount will help get this kick-started.

Thank you so much for your help.

Namaste

Kerensa Clark and Pema Tsering Gurung.

Givealittle link here:

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/dolpa-education-development-project-nepal

Check out my new additions in SHOP

Little Leaf Creative has had a constructive few days - firstly building a website, and then adding stuff into it that people might like to purchase.

Please remember: 15% of all sales goes to the NGO Kay Garnay for Nepal

---

Oh - just as a side note - in case you're interested ...

I am getting really excited about putting my leather sewing machine together and putting her in place in my spare bedroom this weekend! Then I can really start playing! I have ordered labels and I have even got a bit flash and ordered an embossing tool so my logo can be stamped into the leather. Can't wait to get sewing!

Please remember, you can contact me through the contact page, if you have any questions.

Defying conformity: nurturing creativity for a future of innovators

This is a post I wrote a few months back for my Blospot page. I read it again this morning and thought it should really be posted here on LLC's blog page.

"Get a hair cut and get a real job" - the famous words coined by recording artist George Thorogood - reflect a time when creativity was not considered as a serious way to make a living.  In fact, I argue that the creative industries are still considered social outliers in terms of what is deemed acceptable for our sons and daughters to be pursuing once they leave the mechanistic education factories we call "school".  

Kids are still given advice by school careers advisers to pursue the more "academic" subjects of the sciences and maths, whilst subjects rooted in creativity are often suggested as a gap-filler. I argue that in today's rapidly changing world, classical science and maths are redunandant without innovative thought and the ability to develop an idea or process through to an end point. In a way that is precisely what subjects such as maths and science do, but in a more rigid, prescribed manner.

The game-changers of this world will be those people who can conceptualise the creative process from its birth to its realisation and apply that to any given context. Creativity is the future.

Sadly many facets of society seek to suppress creative ideas - we see this across business, education (of all places) politics and even the arts itself, at times, is guilty of this. Society wants conformity and how do we conform? We all think inside the same rigid unbending box. It's safe inside there.

All innovation begins with creative ideas. Have a look around you - every single object, application on the internet, the internet itself, cars, everyday items we take for granted - have been thought of, designed and produced. 

The world cannot possibly move forward without innovation and creativity. Yet we actively suppress the seed of all creativity by suggesting it as a type of "hobby", limiting it within the workplace and schools and applying a sort of "there, there" approach to someone who has chosen to apply their out of the box thinking in a way that earns them an income (but not a "real" job).

Sadly, society does not equate creativity with intelligence. Society tends to measure intelligence through success in academic subjects.  There is research which suggests that the overlap between creativity and intelligence is greater than we realise.

Intelligence can be loosely defined as an ability to acquire and use knowledge (so is rote learning "intelligence?); whilst creativity could be understood as the ability to innovate and conceive new ideas through the mental process of anchoring existing concepts. There-in lies the catch - we need some idea of existing concepts in order to have the freedom to innovate. 

Here's a quote I love by one of the most well-known innovators and creators of all time, Steve Jobs:

"Creativity is just connecting things up. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesise new things. And the reason they were able to do it was that they have thought more about their experiences than other people".

What Jobs is alluding to here is seemingly random connections of concepts may go unnoticed by people who are not creative; whilst those who are can grasp and see those connections. They can then do something with those connections.

Creative people also have the ability to work with their ideas rather than give up once potential problems arise; so problem-solving becomes a pivotal aspect of innovation and ultimately creation.

If, however, the environment one is in, stifles or does not actively promote innovative thinking, creativity is lost. When creativity is lost, we find ourselves back inside the safe four walls of our self (and societally) prescribed box.

Creative people are curious; they're not content to see things as they are, but rather seek to see things for what they can be; they are the boundary-pushers. 

Edward de Bono said "creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way". I argue that educators have an obligation to break out of established ways of doing and being in order to truly allow kids the freedom to be innovative, not just in the arts but in all facets of their school life - from the "academic" subjects right through to physical education. It is essential.

"There is a notion that creative people are absent-minded, reckless, heedless of social customs and obligations. It is, hopefully, true for they are in another world altogether"  

Mary Oliver

Little Leaf Creative now accepts both credit card AND PayPal!

Much excitement in the LLC camp! Payments have been set up now to include both PayPal and Creditcards.

Not only this, but all images are now purchased via a digital download, which gives the buyer access to the link for 24 hours.  All images are in a high quality format for printing.

This is good. This is very good. Modern technology eh?!

If you have any questions about anything please feel free to drop me a line through my contact page.

A calm morning in Port Chalmers, Back Beach.

Little Leaf Creative is now live!

Its been a long long day in my office today. My bum has not left the seat - except for essential things such as brewing coffee and eating cherry's.

Today I morphed my old website of Heartandhandsnepal.com into LittleLeafCreative.com. I am by no means complete and I have to delete all the products in my shop and start again, add new photos and set about taking a bunch of photos of the products I currently have for sale. The aching bum has been well worth it, as it really is one of those jobs that can be put on the back burner in the nether-regions of ones brain, never to be seen again.

My idea to morph Heart and Hands with Little Leaf, came about as a way to market my creative side whilst using some of the profits through sales (here's hoping) to support the village of Changu Narayan in Nepal - a place that is firmly embedded within my heart and soul.

I have a belief that through my small efforts, I can make a small difference.

Please join me as I grow this website and connect creativity with compassion.

The blog posts that never happened

We all have those good intentions .... right? Well I for one know that I am full of them; in fact they are bursting out of me, only, they usually end up in a pile on my bedroom floor - I simply have so many I do not know what to do with them. For over 2 years now my website, heartandhandsnepal.com has sat pretty much unused. I started out with a hiss and a roar; developed the site with one of those 'good intentions' and then sat and looked at my handiwork and exhaled. There it stopped.  I need to reinstate my energy in terms of where to go and what to do with this website. One idea is to totally redevelop it into a site for my photography and creative stuff - which falls under the label of Little Leaf Creative. Little Leaf has really officially been launched; it just IS ... if you get what I mean. Then I thought "what if Little Leaf Creative got together with heartandhandsnepal, and together they created some magic?". So, I think for now, because the organisations within Nepal that I wish to promote are doing such an incredible job and will remain forever in my heart, I will continue to support these through sales of my own creations through Little Leaf. Little Leaf Creations does not have a website, however I think it should. What I want mostly from Little Leaf, is that any work I sell will provide a percentage to some of the organisations I have happily promoted here on this website. If Little Leaf Creative could do that, then it will be a marriage made in heaven, and heartandhandsnepal can carry on. So bare with ... bare with ... I shall get onto the job of adding images for sale in the form of photo blocks or canvases, and will also add images of my jewellery and other products I design and produce. This is a good thing. To see products for sale, go to the "products" tab of this website.

Perhaps I should add a few blogs from time to time also!