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The hazards of waiting for paintings to arrive

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Ever met the stress an artist feels when their paintings do not arrive as predicted for an exhibition? I have. Now I understand.

When the first delivery date whistled past, Katie began to call. At first hesitant, but then insistent, tracking down the human voices behind the automated systems. As the exhibition came closer the calls became more frantic, and the results more erratic.

“A problem with them.” “Charges to pay.” “Looks like they’re in Frankfurt.” “Oh, they’ve been returned to sender.”

Nooooo! How do you hold on to your sanity? At last the words came. “They will be delivered tomorrow.”

The wash of relief, of love and forgiveness … but only one arrived. More calls. More strain. More van space needed. “Tomorrow.”

And finally, miraculously, they appeared. Just in time.

The artist was my niece, Katie Simpson, invited, along with other young artists, to take part in a one night only exhibition, organised by Fauna Brewing, to raise funds for conservation charities in Africa. The setting in Arundel Castle at night, was dramatic, and so were the paintings. Katie’s cheetah is painted with the red earth of Tsavo. Her wild dog was watching us as we came in.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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Hawke’s Bay – ‘food and wine country’ – flooded

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This photograph was taken from Te Mata Peak, Hawke’s Bay, in June 2022. Today, Hawke’s Bay, a peaceful, agricultural region, is covered in the debris and deluge thrown at it by cyclone Gabrielle.

When I visited the area I stayed with friends from Zimbabwe, former farmers. They’ve built new lives for themselves in Hawke’s Bay. None of it has been easy, but they’ve never stopped. It was a privilege to stay in their beautiful home, and to get to know the area a little.

One day trip was to a stunning old farm house, where the owners had been on the land for several generations, running cattle and sheep on the steep hillsides along the coast. The farm stretches down to a lonely beach. Beyond is the ocean, that goes on and on to Argentina and Antartica. It was idyllic to visit, but it cannot have been easy to develop.

Now, Hawke’s Bay is faced with clearing up and building again.

Here is a link to an article in the New Zealand Herald (2021), about marine heatwaves around the east coast of North Island.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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Across the sapphire green to San Juan de Gazteluagtxe

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This beautiful stone walkway is the only flattish part of the approach to the shrine dedicated to St John the Baptist, which is built on steep, raggedy rocks off the Basque coast. The little chapel is up beyond the point from which this photograph was taken.

Looking back now, I think how lucky we were to have the time to add this on to our trip to Elantxobe. The day had neither melting sun nor fierce rain, and the post-Covid crowds, clearly anticipated by the carpark, still seemed to be keeping their distance.

The walk was long – down and up, and down and up again – but worth every step just for the curvy joy of this bridge over the water. I have read somewhere that the walkway dates from the 11th century or earlier, some attributing it to the Knights Templar. I’m not sure how accurate this is, but what seems definite is that there have been endless fights over the island, even Sir Francis Drake getting involved. The chapel that now stands at the top was re-opened in the 1980s.

Here are two more photographs to give a feel of this lovely place – the star of the final postcard from the Basque Country.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023