Uncanny Puzzle Jaunt 26 February 2012

I love meeting new people with shared interests and recently decided to hold an event with Jarrad Godman, his art exhibition, together with a launch of the Eye Street Anthology, Eye Street Book and my new CD of poetry and music, Family of Artists with Transistor Davis Jnr and Sandra Bell.

Uncanny Puzzle Jaunt will be held in The Happy Tea House here in Grey Lynn, a lovely covered garden area with an indoor lounge off the garden too. Or sit under the plum tree perhaps? We shall place a table there. Follow the signs from the front gate, where Blue Haven the house is and then, go round the side to the large garden.

Jarrad is mysteriously cutting up magazines for collages, mentions great ideas now and then, has some fine work on the walls of his studio already and I'm looking forward to whatever emerges.

It's been seven years since Eye Street poets launched, Summer Book, our poetry. This new Eye Street Book is perfect bound and has photographs like the last one, except there are more poems and images, along with more poets, Jack Ross, Jacqueline Crompton Ottaway, Alice Hooton, Rosetta Allan, Ila Selwyn, Genevieve McClean, Lee Dowrick and Raewyn Alexander. Family of Artists is a CD of poetry with guitar and has a book accompanying it. Transistor Davis Jnr and I rehearsed for this recording for about six to eight months, every week. Then Sandra Bell provided a soundscape on accordion for the long poem, Lone Elvis. I've designed the CD cover and Eye Street Book, which includes photographs by Jack Ross, a vintage shot and my photography.

Uncanny Puzzle Jaunt is a version of the Beatles' album name, Magical Mystery Tour, since we are making the whole of our property into a place where art, poetry, music and adventure can be found, sometimes with exploration, sometimes pieces and experiences are immediately obvious. We have metres of crumpled white paper like popcorn on long strings, for an installation.

Guests are also invited to dress up and we have prizes for six of you, so please make the effort. There is a dress-up rack of clothes provide at UPJ too. We're asking guests to dress as their favourite artist, writer or entertainer. Prizes are for the Most Popular, Most UNbelieeeVaBle, Most ASTOUNDING, Most Authentic, Most Amusing and a Grand Prize for Excellence.

Some Waywin Craft will also be for sale on the UPJ day.

Wine, tea, cakes and nibbles provided, 26 February, a Sunday, midday to 6.30pm here in Grey Lynn, Auckland, NZ. Art, books and CDs are for sale. Cheque or cash only. Please contact me on raewynalexander @ hotmail.com without those gaps to RSVP.

"I Guess I Just don't Know" 23 May - 4 June Exhibition
Satellite Gallery Newton Auckland
cnr St Benedict Street and Newton Road

quote used as a title is from Lou Reed

On Monday 23 May at 5.30pm I opened my exhibition at Satellite Gallery. Now the work remaining is on show at my Happy Tea House, Grey Lynn, Auckland NZ, ask me for more info.

Writing workshops ran on both the Saturdays. A performance night with open mic closes the show, guests Genevieve McClean, John Goudge, Sandra Bell, Ross Brighton, Raewyn Alexander - it was stunning, thanks everyone for a great evening.

“One exciting moment occurred when I put two punk bands on Captain Cook's ship, history rewrites feel intoxicating. The Scavengers and The Suburban Reptiles on The Endeavour, quite something. I believe it happened. Who else would Cook have as sailors?”

In the gallery, people made their own poetry, after donating to Women's Refuge, from words cut from newspapers and magazines. They kept the results, destroyed them or placed them on display. Some audio poetry also played during the exhibition. I am making a book of those poems and soon publishing the 'if walls could talk' poem which people also wrote, publishing this on my facebook.

The writing workshop, Writing with Fire, is about accessing emotions safely, then how to control and order thinking, make what we want with our language. I shall offer this again to new participants at some stage, it was really successful. Thanks to those who attended.

The other workshop is now renamed Sound Sound Sound and is about performing and reading work. This could be available again later, I want to do some retraining first with John Goudge.

Alexander teaches relaxation techniques and helps people refine their voice, people may also create poetry or prose during workshops. She's taken such workshops for over 15 years with many successes. Alexander also offers advice on publishing and any difficulties you have with your own writing, at the end of each workshop.

Her poetry, Punk Settlers, (a PS from history) written especially for this exhibition will be performed in future and was performed for the exhibition, it's included in visual art and available in hand-made books made from clean, found paper including old envelopes, atlases, brown paper bags and redundant science books.

Alexander's writing history is on the NZ Book Council website -

http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/alexanderraewyn.html

Waywin Craft and Art, photos shall appear as things are available.


The work can be picked up from me too, if I know you or posted to you in New Zealand, overseas could be too expensive and I suggest buying local is best for the future of human beings and this planet.