A RUDE AWAKENING

It all started just after 5 a.m

One car started honking its horn, long and drawn out. I awoke to see flashing lights in the distance near the fringe of the clearing and all around.
Then the sound of grinding, cutting metal.

I stumbled out of my van to see more flashing lights and a swarm of police in high visibility gear, helmets, batons, and a convoy of paddy wagons.

This all seemed a little intense and dramatic, a total of 30 police congregated around the blockade, public servants being the muscle for a privately owned mining company, a great use of tax payers money.

MMG is the Chinese state owned mining company with an active lease on this region, they are meant to be conducting an ecological survey to establish whether any at risk and endangered flora and fauna are in the area before they conduct any demolition.

They are acting before taking the correct surveys, yet private citizens are being arrested for breaking the law? Where is the logic? I was incredibly disappointed to see the government fail, this was the start of a lengthy protest that lasted thanks over 50 days.

MMG are driving through a 4 km stretch of road through pristine wilderness, ancient forest that needs world heritage listing and protection from any new destruction.

MMG are working towards a large tailings dam where they will process mineral extraction, corrupting the land, spoiling the river system and scarring the land forever.

Thanks to the bob brown foundation for their continued and tireless effort to keep protect this diverse and unique landscape. This fight is continuing to this day, a year on and the protesters are still holding on to stop illegal logging and the destruction on native habitat.

The short term benefit of mines is outweighed by the long term ramifications and scarification of these forests.

MY TIME SO FAR IN THE TARKINE / TAKAYNA

One of my main purposes of coming to the island state was to visit and witness the Tarkine, this was my first time visiting the west coast and it didn’t disappoint.

At first sight, the landscape was dense and lush, alive in every way, driving through from the north, you start to work your way through plantation timber, as far as the eye can see.

Forestry has been apart of colonised Tasmanian culture, particularly up here in the north west, in an age where we understand the changing climate and our world wide collective effect on this planet, I was interested to hear more from the local perspective, is there such thing as susutainable modern timber harvesting?

Enter, the defenders camp.

Pieman river blockade

13th of May 2021

Cleared native forest, paving a road through pristine wilderness, there are over 100 active leases within the North west of Tasmania, constant threat from companies looking to extract whatever primary resources they are interested in.

Within any industry there is a smoke screen in effect to minimise their impact or inflate their social and community economic value.

Witnessing the destruction first hand was definitely confronting.

Giant eucalyptus stand towering above, separated from the rest of the forest, sitting alone without the strength of its friends and family, it is just a matter of time before the wild weather take them down.

This Myrtle Beech was magnificent, surrounded by much larger trees tragically cut down to make room for a road, for machinery to bulldoze through, to food the landscape for a mining tailings dam.

The sheer size of this tree made it very difficult to recut, this was the largest tree I have worked with todate.

The landscape looking like Nebulous.

This process was incredibly slow, there is a trade off between cutting horizontally like this or recutting a tree that has fallen over and is laying on its side.

Here the saw blade bends and binds, jamming with most movements, working between both saws to make my way through.

I was so blown away and the beauty and intense colour of this Myrtle, the pink tones were something else.

I had made a mess from my initial saw cuts, I had to fillet high sections to clean up the surface.

The weather in the west will change in an instant, after stopping and starting I decided to set up a more robust and semi permanent space which would allow me to work for longer, this was day 4 into the process.

HEADING WEST

Mt. Roland from the north east

To me this image captures the divide and tension between humans and the environment here.

Up in the Central Plateau I came across my first insight into Hydro in Tasmania.

Did you know it accounts for 80% of the states energy consumption?

My main reason to head up this way was to explore Parsons Falls, it is on the way to the Walls of Jerusalem. It didn’t disappoint, it seems like everywhere you go in Tasmania there is something to discover, the wild and natural elements of Tasmania is its greatest asset.

Weather plays a huge part in my work printing fallen trees, I wasn’t sure if I had missed my window of opportunity before the wet season came in. While the weather continues to be wet, I headed out for a hike.

Next up, the walls of Jerusalem

TASMANIA

Tasmania has been at the top of my list for a long time now, it has been a battle ground for environmental rights and activism for so long, the desperate fight for extraction of primary resources is a long and arduous one.

From afar, it looks so green but there is a dark underbelly, to take a closer look, I had to come and find out for myself.

It was with great anticipation, from the start of this trip, to journey from the main land to the nature filled island of Tasmania.

I have visited several times before but not for printing, just sight seeing and travel.

The idea of travelling by boat has always interested me, like rail travel, you are gifted time, to unwind, be present without too many distractions and the opportunity to collect yourself wile you are slowly taken to your destination.

Leaving the mainland for a month, to explore the great Tasmanian state, with a bunch of camera gear, materials for printing and some destination points that are a must to explore.

I decided to day trip on the way to the island and overnight on the way back, we arrived just as the sun was setting.

The next stop was to gather fresh fruit and veg and then head west towards the Tarkine/Takayna

This land is under threat from countless mining leases, everywhere is up for grabs in the eyes of the current government, the Tarkine is Australia’s largest temperate rainforest and needs protection, from a federal level and to make that happen, we as citizens need to make that happen.

From Devenport, my direction was due west, whether is was the mountains or the forest, I couldn’t wait to get out there.

NORTH JOURNAL Issue 16

My first encounter with Dave was at Bayleaf Cafe, Byron Bay. New to town and in need of  coffee I was steered in the direction of ‘that really rad but really busy’ cafe on Marvell Street with rumours of the best cuppa joe in town. I was yet another customer adding to the plethora of coffee dockets and Dave was yet another long haired barista in Byron! Bayleaf quickly became my everyday with a need for coffee parallel to my need for the Bayleaf greeting. Hugs, conversations and smiles by the plentiful I began to form friendships with almost every staff member there with one intriguing me the most; Dave.

His soft shy nature is the exterior to a humble creative, full of gratitude and knowledge. As coffee making funded life and bill paying he worked on his creative outlet behind the scenes and still managed to put passion forward in every shift at Bayleaf making my perception of him a positive one.

As I took a drive out to Dave’s house I couldn't help but notice the subtle trend of lush large trees tracing the roads that lead me to my destination. When I arrived at the top of a hill, where a quaint A-frame house sat atop and reached the front door, I felt an immediate gentleness. Greeted with soft smiles and conversation at ease it felt only right for me to be there. In true style I was offered a cup of fresh filter coffee brewed in the timber laced kitchen adorned in plants, prints and photos. It only made sense for Dave to reside in a place of humbleness and simplicity, truly complimenting his personality.

We got chatting as my curious mind lead to question after question, in search for the story behind Weighted Lines. Unbeknownst to me, Dave began this journey just 4 short years ago when he and his partner Charley decided to break away from the claustrophobic state that Melbourne city can bring, and delve into the welcoming of nature. With days off being spent mapping new hiking trails, driving hours to new mountain ranges and seeking new sights Dave and Charley quickly became addicted to the free pleasures of natural surroundings. Although charming in its gifting’s and appearance, this new found hobby came with a growing concern for the pattern he noticed of newly cleared pathways for the convenience of human access. Dave reccounted to me the day he came across a huge tree that had been freshly cut for clearing, revealing its every ring, every year of life and he just stood in awe, touching and smelling for the longer part of 20 minutes. He admits that he couldn’t stop thinking about it, wanting to know how he could preserve such beauty, create a new lease on life and and help tell it’s story.

With a background of Carpentry and a curious mind, Dave jumped at an opportunity when he saw an advertisement for cleared pine up for offer. This was the beginning of the arduous trial-and-error journey every great artist must condure. Compiling the research and inspiration of traditional Japanese artisans who have been printmaking, wood burning and reclaiming contours for years, Dave experimented and found his knack, perfecting the process. From seeking out a specific tree to hand sawing, hand planing and burning to finally press the Japanese paper to relieve each print saw him into the next step of strategizing how to upgrade yet downsize his tools. Walking hours through thick bushland and catching flights overseas proved difficult with large, heavy tools and camping equipment strapped to his back.

The first set of prints that dave felt a true success within found themselves as submissions to a local art gallery. All similar in appearance by being apart of the same family yet considerably disparate, he felt a strong sense to give them individual identities just how we each have names. This was the birth of pairing each print of each tree with its rightful coordinates making it not only another aesthetical component but a deeper knowledge of that trees residency in the world. Dave found this to be a vital part of giving viewers factual material that compliments a visual so rich in historic textures.

Dave expressed the visceral experience he has come to know by spending time out in quietness amongst the tall giants and that seeing first light weave through and fall on new breadths, revealing nature’s contours is an antidote to all worriment. This was an integral part of what facilitated the since 4 year journey of Weighted Lines. Travelling overseas twice, taking several trips to Victoria and embarking on many adventures in surrounding national parks of the Byron Shire has seen Dave to showcase 7 prints from 7 different trees and tell their stories. This lead him to host his first solo exhibition in September 2017, reaching a new milestone for both his personal life and the life of Weighted Lines. I had great pleasure in attending the night held at Bayleaf Cafe and contributing to the crowd that may have seemed like a human flash flood on Marvell Street to any passerby.

Upon circling the crowd, overhearing conversations and weaving through an abundance of supportive humans, I felt an immense sense of pride wash over me. This was not for myself, but merely as a spectator of Dave’s achievement because just like me, there were a high percentage of people who never truly knew the artist behind ‘Weighted Lines’. This was proof that Dave was not in anyway a master of art for the sake of prosperity, he was a master of paying homage to trees and their families, celebrating their existence of enriching ours.

It’s quite incredible really, how one can come to acquire such a skill of bringing substance to something we turn a blind eye on and place such sincerity in leaving a literal mark, allowing it a voice when it had been silenced. To reach the point of passion for a technique he never planned on learning and turning that into hard copy stories for every year a tree has lived, shaded us, and brought purity to our air can only be attained by the craftsmanship of a true artisan. He creates a visual that enthralls an entire room with a comforting aesthetic of a trees destruction mitigated by the devotion of a human. And what better way to unify such works than with the perfect encasing of wooden frames built by the hands of that same human. Selflessly displaying the many truths a tree can give, tirelessly building and perfecting a frame that doesn’t just support the physicality of his art, but the beauty of another tree in a different medium.

With a limit of 10 original relief prints per tree creates a rarity of Dave’s work, becomes a temptation and a deeper lust for his work, turning aspiring art owner’s into immediate collectors. To some if not all, the incredibly perfected application of print to paper may look like a hand drawn masterpiece created by the very roots of that tree; as if it were creating a self portrait. However this is the product of precision and attention to detail mixed with the passion for portraying its story, curating each piece on the spot with the tree in the very place it grew.

And so through deepening my understanding of Dave, I have come to know him as a humble man who makes space for everyone and everything through conscious thought. When I first saw the artwork Dave was producing I found the correlation between his personality and his work uncanny. There is no prejudice, there is no judgment there is always honesty and so by showcasing the uniqueness of every tree, he portrays the essence of how every human is different to you; every tree is different too.

weightedlines.com.au

@weightedlines

LAND OF THE RISING SUN pt.2

Travelling through Japan via a van is incredible. Freedom camping is allowed, one morning we woke up after travelling late through the night, we had decided to stop along this bay where we were greeted by Mt. Fuji early in the morning.

We crossed over Awaji Island, considered the Birthplace or old country Japan. Alternate electricity is wide spread across Japans countryside with wind and solar the main contenders.

We visited a poppy farm where we met this man and his dog, inseparable. 

Overlooking the Tokushima Mountains.

One of the main reasons for visiting Japan was the opportunity to see where the paper I use comes from. We reached the Awagami Factory in Tokushima after a long drive through the countryside up a series of mountains in the hopes of finding a suitable location for printing, the day was scorching, with temperatures over 35 degrees. We decided to head to the factory and to meet the makers.

Abe-san greeted us and took us through the factory showroom and walked us through the history and process of making paper. 

We tried our hand at making paper, on a smaller scale we used our hands to agitate the solution where they use the bark of the mulberry bush, stripping it and harvesting season by season. 

We made post cards and a large piece of paper, the delicate balance and nuance of paper making is beautiful to watch. I was left in awe while watching a young woman make large beautiful pieces with the slightest touch and balance of the machine.

Awagami offer artist residencies all over the year with group art shows at the end of the stay, working with the paper and exploring different possibilities within the medium.

It was a beautiful and humbling experience, one that I will not forget.

It is easy to lose sight on the amount of work that goes into everything we use, in the age where everything is instantaneous, where money can come easily and food is on our plate before we know it. I feel it is important to look back and evaluate what it takes to have the things we have, to slow down, be patient, to delay gratification and reflect on what is important in our lives. To understand the fundamental of happiness and to realise it is not about having everything but to appreciate everything.

LAND OF THE RISING SUN

Back in June we headed off to the land of the rising sun in search of new terrain, new culture and new experiences.

I have wanted to visit japan for a few years, the skill, care and craft that their culture creates is inspiring.

My practice somewhat stems from traditional print making practices that have been apart of Japanese heritage for centuries. The paper I use comes from the central part of the main land in the province of Tokushima, This was a destination for me on this trip.

We landed in Tokyo, totally disorientated, with a bag full of gear and a lack of language, we found everyone to be incredibly helpful and kind. Arriving into Shibuya, Friday evening after the working week was done, groups of business men both young and old were littered all over the city. In back alleyways and busy intersections, it was the time to get drunk. 

We met a young group of men who were struggling to stay upright, one decided to venture over and strike up a conversation. With broken language we found common ground with charades, using our bodies to describe what we meant.

The phones came out google translate was downloaded and we became friends on Instagram.

Coffee is a passion that has been with me for several years, leaving the Carpentry industry to pursue my love for specialty coffee has given me a narrative when travelling. 

Koffee Mameya is one of Tokyo's sort after coffee spots, this tiny operation boasts a large selection of coffee from all over the world and is served by some incredible baristas.

There are many coffee shops sprawled all over japan, found in every borough in unassuming places like this one here, we could have spent months finding all the spots in Tokyo alone.

Tokyo is a great place to start a Japan adventure, The city is well planned, the subways are amazing and it is great for confidence building and making you feel at home where you would expect. 

There are Shinto shrines and temples splayed all over the city, beautifully manicured gardens and building preserving their ancient way of life.

Walking around the city, soaking in all the Tokyo has to offer made me ready to get out of the city and search for the next phase of the journey. Picking up small tools here and there while we skimmed the surface of such a dynamic city I collected enough to have a basic kit to get out into the hills in search for trees.

On the flight over we decided agains the Rail Pass and chose a route we felt more comfortable with, we found a camper van which could take us off the beaten path and create new untravelled routes.

We made tracks for the Chiba peninsula, arriving late we found a secluded spot by the waters edge down a dirt road past some secluded houses, The sun had risen by 4 a.m and to our surprise a massive rock was jutting out to sea right where we had parked making for the first of many incredible sunrises on the trip.

With convenience stores on every second corner they became a safe haven for dollar coffee and rice pockets. We took a quick drive to wake ourselves up and upon our return local fisherman had wet their lines and settled in for the morning, Japan in June was incredibly hot, by 8 a.m it was close to 30 degrees and we decided to take off and follow the coast line.

Looking like a scene out of The Grand Budapest, we were welcomed with bright colour schemed hotels and homes, they were a stark contrast to the smaller fishing shacks and refined modern bungalows that lay at their feet in the surrounding hills.

As the day ended and the last of the light left the sky, I meandered back to the van to settle in for the night. 

Everything was prepped for the morning for me to print the tree, I was excited to see how it would turn out.

Day broke around 430 am, I grabbed my gear and headed back down, everything was covered in morning due, I wiped the base clean and started getting my gear ready. The wind was low and I had an uninterrupted session of printing, it was so rewarding pulling the first print, feeling the ripples underneath my fingers as I crossed years of growth, I knew this was going to be great.

The sun came beating down by 830 am, I roasted under the hot sun with no chance of shade and finished by midday. 

Returning to the van weathered but filled with overwhelm and joy we loaded everything back in the van and made our way back through the countryside.

We came across a sorting yard several kilometres away and pulled over for a rummage.

It was the perfect setting to reflect on my first printing experience of Japan and decided to take some images of the print that was.

Travelling by van across Japan takes its time, the speed limit everywhere is 50 unless you drive through expressways heavy with tolls. It is actually a beautiful way to see the country, slow and steady allowing you to take in the beauty of rural living. Tokyo was 8 hours away and our next destination 13, life right then was great all we had was each other, community radio and time, welcome to Japan.

MADE BY MORGEN

Living up in the hinterland of Byron Bay over the past two years has given me time to sit and permeate with ideas and thoughts. It has lead to movements of progression and also stagnation, the ying and yang of life.

Everything is whole, every action has a reaction, spending so much time away from city life has drawn me back in a big way to get an injection of inner city hustle, drive, focus and excitement.

Returning to Melbourne where we spent so much time learning who were are, discovering what we want life to be and exploring our options is where I first had the idea and belief of Weightedlines. 

Hiking in the temperate climate where seasons change and nature takes on rebirth season after season, seeing these drastic changes and having a richer appreciation of nature and her beauty have formed strong memories. 

This trip back down south had a special purpose, to reconnect with a fellow craftsman. Made by Morgen was the creation of Nicholas McDonald, we met over the espresso machine in Abbotsford where I served him coffee, chatted about music and geeked out on Timber and construction. We spoke so long ago about our ideas for the future and where each of us wanted to be, what we wanted to be creating and those conversations still stuck with me.

Nick decided to throw all his chips in and left his profession on the search for meaning and satisfaction through his love and passion for timber and furniture design.

Since then he has moved his workshop into a beautiful space in Brunswick East where he is building a small empire of hand made incredible furniture pieces. He has turned his dreams into his reality with hard work and determination and for that I couldn't be more proud of him and his accomplishments.

Nick has always been incredibly supportive of my printing work and has encouraged me to pursue my goals. 

I proposed an exchange of crafts, I wanted to say thank you for his support by donating one of my prints for his new work space, the idea was to build the frame together in Melbourne and document the process.

Within a few brief phone calls the materials I would need were in place and ready for collection, seeing Neil Wallace Printmaking supplies and OMNUS framing in their new warehouse only a few blocks from where I had lived was a welcoming surprise, it was nice to visit and talk about future plans and upcoming trips. 

I asked a Friend to help shoot the process, it is not always easy asking friends for help, so this was a great opportunity to break and change patterns of behaviour and allow others to help support what I do. Ben's latest project is showcasing Melbourne's music scene, filming local artist in their natural habitat, documenting their day to day process where most of their creativity takes place. It is a nobel venture cataloguing a piece of Melbourne musics history, go check it out.

Arriving at Nick's space after a couple of days in the city, visiting friends and reminiscing while we walk familiar streets, we sat down and discussed each others movements over the last two years. 

We unrolled several prints and looked over them to see which one spoke most to the space and to Nick. The lineage and personification of "Family Portrait" grabbed Nick's attention, this print involves a small section of land near Queenstown New Zealand where a number of scattered trees were cut down. Their scattered placement showed that they were not planted mechanically or with human involvement but in their natural state of reproduction. They are all descendants of one an other yet they all have their own subtle story to tell. 

Nick explained the changes he had made to the space so he could utilise the space most effectively. pulling down a mezzanine floor to create more space. The joist were old seasoned Oregon timbers and we decided to machine them into a workable framing profile. For me this strengthened the bond this print has with this space and Nick's ability to pour emotion into his pieces of furniture.

Nick showed me some great tips and finishing details for the frame, using Japanese timber nails to strengthen the joins and to leave a contrast detail on the frame. I had never seen these before and straight away I could see all the possibilities.

Now it was time for me to mount and fit the work. I am still new to this process and with each mounting I learn more and more, this time was using slightly different materials which lead to difficulties and frustrations. we worked into the night trying different options to see if it would help. By nine o'clock I decided to call it a night and to regroup and find some other materials that I could work with. We packed up, ducked around the corner for a quick beverage at Uncle joe's and spoke about tomorrows plan.

With new materials we met back up and finished the job. We worked out placement and hung it up on the wall. we spoke about the history or the work, the belief behind the work and what this opportunity represents to both of us. 

It was a pleasure to get back down to Melbourne and work on this together. To reconnect with friends and the city itself. 

We are Heading off to the land of the rising sun where I will be exploring the country side and visiting Tradition Washi paper mills in the south west. Be sure to keep watch for new and exciting prints.

Thank you

Nick from Made by Morgen for offering this opportunity.

Ben Frazer from Shaky Hands for last minute shooting and support always.

Omnus Framing and Neil Wallace Supplies for a wealth of information and guidance regardless of how busy you are.

And always my partner Charley for helping in every possible way imaginable.

AN INTRODUCTION

The very first printer matter for weighted lines.

This A5 publication showcases a bit about my process and where this all started. 

Showing the identity of my work and beliefs behind modern culture and industrialisation of nature.

The first fifty publications are available for preorder and come with a exclusive A3 print to give thanks for the support and encouragement behind me and what I do.

Each print will come hand numbered and signed.

Preorders will be sent out at the end of the month.

Follow the link to secure your copy.

Thank you 

SOUTH ISLAND ADVENTURES final

I was expecting to see Arthurs pass covered in snow, instead it was dry with most ski fields hanging CLOSED signs warning potential customers of their troubles. 

This for me was the reminder and reinforcing act of why I do this. We don't just rely on nature for resources but for everything, in mending the world, for cleaning our air and water systems, for growing our food and keeping us alive. With global warming, global spending and lack of business and personal accountability we will not be able to sustain our current way of living. We all play a roll either major or minor, the first step with everything is knowing there is a problem, next we have to make a plan and act on it. 

While searching through the pass looking for large pine forests I came across a small stretch leading through to a valley floor, it was nearing dark at this time, I found a fallen tree which was a little smaller in size than previous trees. The rain had set in and the sun had been hidden behind the clouds all day. Given that the tree was smaller I tried to cut nearest the base that I could. The root system was strong and showed itself to be more difficult than I had anticipated. The next morning I awoke to find the rain even heavier than yesterday, I returned to my stump and continued on my mission. As I was clearing out the root system I felt a heavy presence, like I was being watched, this feeling stayed with me for a few minutes, it didn't leave me so I decided to stand up and have a look around. I could not believe my eyes, Five large and wild horses had neared me grazing through the pines. More inquisitive than anything else they closed in to get a closer look and smell. I continued my work with a certain amount of vigour and pace, I found a star picket nearby to use as leverage to help shift the stump upright, I finally managed to upturn the stump to get a clearer idea of what could be accomplished. Unfortunately it was too small and would not suit. 

I decided to quickly pack up what tools I had and make a speedy exit leaving the large beast to their terrain. 

I decided to spend the remainder of the day driving back to Christchurch and visiting local attractions and checking the coast line. 

Then I was on the plane back to Byron Bay. 

Thank you to Charley my partner for always supporting everything that I do and for the gift of travel.

Thank you for everyone who has supported and encouraged me so far on my journey, thank you for reading and taking interest in what I do.

SOUTH ISLAND ADVENTURES pt.3

Travelling through the Crown Range and into Wanaka is one of my most favourite drives. The landscape feels like Mars, isolated and surrounded by baron beauty. The lake is the heart and soul of Wanaka, surrounded by snow capped mountains adventure sports are the main attraction. 

A few years back while I was travelling I came across a tree that had fallen and hoped it was still there. I searched near by woods to see what I could find and explored new areas that I have not been before.

While walking around Lake Wanaka I came in contact with this rotted out stump, its curves and interesting patterns grabbed my attention. The constitution of the stump left me worried but I wanted to try and see if I could pull come interesting textures. After thirty minutes of sawing and burning I came to the conclusion that it would just not work, I left it to decay into the earth and create new life in the distant future.

My searches in and around the area came up short so I decided to drive out to where I had first seen this stump years ago and crossed my fingers it was still there. 

To my relief and joy the fallen tree was still there, although she had reduced in size with locals cutting fire wood from her from previous seasons. 

I wasted no time and pulled all my tools out and got to work. My saw was no match for the stump, shorter in length and with several knots of hard wood pushing through made the next few hours a give and take scenario. I had to learn to be patient and work with the tree, not to force my way through but to be guided along her subtle differences. cutting from one side and switching back and forth is less than desired, trying to get a smooth clean cut became impossible. the end result looked like a warped vinyl record, I spend the rest of the afternoon into the evening cutting back and trying to create a somewhat flat surface.

I have not felt more proud pulling this print, every step and every stump is a lesson, on refinement, on patience and on understanding my limits. While I was planing on my hands and knees a local pulled over and asked me what I was doing, I explained and showed some of my previous work. He asked me if I would like to know a bit about the history regarding this tree in particular, I replied with "of course" and he proceeded to explain that a few years ago there was a huge storm that passed the area ravaging the township and surrounding areas, a local teacher was driving home and right before him this tree came crashing down, his car ran straight into the tree flipping his car sending him into the ditch on the side of the road. He narrowly avoided death and came away with only broken bones. 

The light was leaving with every pressing, gradually getting darker and darker, pulling the last print around 5:30 pm I packed the car and headed back to Wanaka to clean and pack the car once more. 

SOUTH ISLAND ADVENTURES pt.2

The Queenstown skyline has changed significantly over the last few years with a increase in tourism and development, it feels like the locals have left and the new breed have moved in. The mountain side is being cleared to make way for more development and to further expand the Queenstown district, looking up towards the Ben Lomond summit and noticing how much of the hillside has been cleared for new homes left a uneasy feeling deep inside me.

I arrived late into the evening, searching for a secluded area I could pull up and get some rest. My sleeping arrangement was less than desired but I have done it before and I will almost certainly do it again. Camped out in my little hire care, it fits all all my gear plus a little extra. With a restless nights sleep tossing and turning I eagerly woke up with dawn and welcomed the day with a coffee and porridge. My original plan we to survey the hills up towards the Ben Lomond track above queenstown but as a sat there looking over the township and noticing the change that has taken place over the last few years I had a sudden change of heart. 

I decided to look on a section of land that will not be here in years to come, I came across a path that lead past a small clearing where a number of trees had been cut down. Looking at the various sizes of the stumps I gathered that they would have originated from the same tree and be descendants of one another. This family have stood here for over 20 years, they are as much part of queenstown as the lake and the slopes. 

This idea resonated with me heavily, to see a family of trees not planted in lines, but grown organically with the earth and the seasons. I knew I wanted to print them all, the next process of placement of print and space made it difficult to print them all and I hadn't reached the next challenge of physically printing them but knew I would make it work.

With the winds changing by the second and light showers coming when ever they wanted made for a difficult time to begin with. I decided to print in sets of threes from smallest to largest, in order to maintain similarities between each print I used the landscape as a reference guide.

With nowhere to place them and the weather closing in, I ran the risk of damage by laying each print on the surrounding scrub, a few hairy moments where I thought the wind was going to whisk them all away I managed to get out before night fall. I wrapped up the prints, bagged my gear, said a quick goodbye and headed for the car. 

I said farewell to Queenstown and headed north for Wanaka hoping to find some adventures and say hello to a old friend.

SOUTH ISLAND ADVENTURES pt.1

The South Island of New Zealand has always had a special place in my heart, it is the first place I have seen snow capped mountains and true alpine wilderness.

A few years back my partner and I travelled around the South Island for a few weeks taking photos, documenting our travels and finding any body of water to jump into, given it was the tail end of winter we didn't stick around in the water for long.

This first interaction with the south cemented my love of her and have been drawn to her ever since.

Since then I have been cutting my teeth in various regions of Victoria and Northern New South Wales, working out processes, managability, navigation and location scouting.

My most recent trip to the South Island was a brief expedition, running into difficulties from the get go. Every time I head out on any trip there are lessons to learn and grow from. Landing around 2 a.m in a drowsy state my long checklist began, as much as I want to just hit the road I have to start prepping for the journey and organising any extra pieces of materials and tools I need for printing. 

 A 2 hour nap and the new day was here, I fuelled up, stocked up, organised my kit with essentials and hit the weather radar to gauge which route to take. 

A warm front was pushing from the north and with it bringing some heavy rains. Leaving Christchurch I headed south via the Inland route to our run the rains. Over the last year there has been wild storms and weather hit the south leaving a trail of destruction, driving past countless piles of debris and fallen trees I knew there would be something for me out there to find. 

I feel at ease in the south feel like I know the roads like they were my own, no trip would be complete without a visit to Mt. Aoraki and it had been too long since I last saw her. She was capped with snow on a blue bird day, in the valleys leading up to her you could for the arctic air flow through and slowly freeze everything it touched. My plan was to spend a night in the Mueller hut south west of the summit, cold and wet winds had left the steeper inclines hardened with firm ice and with out appropriate gear I was unable to reach the comfort of the warm hut. I headed back down after making a coffee and having a little lunch with the mountain. 

When I returned to the base I reorganised and set off for my next destination Queenstown.

WASHI AND WHY IT IS THE BEST

There are so many papers out there to use, be it water colour paper for its strength and weight, thinner, light weight papers for their finesse or one of the thousand different papers to choose from.

For me, it all dates back to the traditional use in japan for their block prints. Paper came to Japan around 600 A.D mainly used for literature and transcribing, later around 1600 A.D paper leapt its way into the use for print currency. In the 1800s Japans Paper was made world knowledge and received high acclaim at the worlds fair in Paris.

Without so much as a bat of our eye lid we use paper and think nothing of the craft and manufacture of this incredible product. 

Generations of Families still create these beautiful papers in a range of different finishes. 

I use the Hosho paper for its delicate yet strong fibres, for me to transfer the delicate detail from tree to paper, completing somewhat of a circle of life.

Read the full story behind japans paper trail here  

AN EVENING OF REFLECTION

After returning from a trip, I will usually clean my gear, reconfigure and adjust back to life.

I usually dont look back at the prints for a few weeks or longer, letting them rest and wait for the custom stamp to be made.

It is so exciting unrolling what has been captured, the smell of the ink, the feel of the paper, the difference and the similarities of each print. Seeing the small finger print marks of my thumbs, such strong memories come flooding back, all the small details, the long and arduous process that was involved. 

Reconnecting with the time, tree and landscape make for a fun and reflective night.

Thank you to my Partner who captured some beautiful images of me, I am forever grateful.