Alex Hallatt 2/22/19 Alex Hallatt 2/22/19

Arctic Circle Cartoon - How to Fix the Internet

I am enjoying my social media-free month. My other half tells me anything I need to know from Facebook. I am able to focus on the more important things and I definitely feel less stressed. I have a feeling I would have even more time to do meaningful work if I switched off the Internet. But then I wouldn't be able to send my work, so I guess there are limits to how much you can go offline.

Alex Hallatt 2/21/19 Alex Hallatt 2/21/19

Living in New Zealand: Gordon Walters at the Christchurch Art Gallery

I love a lot of contemporary New Zealand art (Colin MacCahon, Rita Angus and Lyttelton’s Bill Hammond) to name some off the top of my head), but this week was the first time I’ve been able to see Gordon Walters’ work en masse and it was really inspiring. The way he processed the Maori culture that surrounded him and the modern art he was seeing into his own, distinctive style was reminiscent of Bridget Riley’s monochrome geometric work, but I think it predates it.

Gordon Walters at Christchurch Art Gallery

I wish I had more time to go to Christchurch’s Art Gallery, as it has fantastic exhibitions and I always come away with something new in my head.

The Poet: Gordon Walters was very influenced by Maori and Aboriginal rock drawings

Alex Hallatt 2/15/19 Alex Hallatt 2/15/19

Reasons to Be Cheerful - Building a Potting Shed From Recycled Materials

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I read a few books, watched some YouTube videos and drew up some rough plans. Then I started to make my own shed. So far, I have put in a floor and framed three of the four walls. It is already a little wonky because, well, I’ve never built anything before and also I didn’t want to put in concrete. But that’s okay. It’s a shed, not a house.

Alex Hallatt 2/14/19 Alex Hallatt 2/14/19

New Zealand Garden Diary: Cecil's Successor - Cuthbert the Cucumber

This is a challenging year to grow cucumbers outdoors in Lyttelton. Not because of the shorter growing season (Lyttelton is inside an ancient volcanic crater and when the days get shorter we lose the sun before Christchurch does), but because we've had so little rain. I have planted Cuthbert in an area that I can soak with the hose. There is also a lot of mulch there. I prepared the ground by digging in masses of manure and compost well before I planted the cucumber. Last year, I got 15 cucumbers from Cecil. I've had one so far from Cuthbert, but he's got some time to catch up.