Feeling cranky

My studio easel is a Mabef monster that operates on a ratchet system to raise and lower the height of the shelf. Now, I am not sure if "ratchet system" is a real term, but thats what I call it. To raise or lower the painting shelf(yes, I may have made that term up too. Go with it) , one has to pull a pin thingy and either push up or lower gently, ratcheting down the ratchets till you get to the place you think ideal. (It never is, but thats a different tale of woe.)
It requires certain angles of leverage to be just so and I am fairly good at gauging it, but not this time.

I have some largish canvasses on the go at the moment and yesterday I needed to raise the level to work on the bottom of the canvas. Monster canvas on the easel, it's lardiness disguised as mere wood and canvas airiness, I casually leaned down , pulled the pin out and then WRENCHED THE SHELF AND THE CANVAS NORTH.....and nothing happened. The Canvas and the easel remained unchanged . Something DID , however, happen to my back.

Shit.Shit.Shit.

So, yesterday was spent alternating hot water bottles and ice packs (hideous torture, what mad fucker thought that up?), guzzling ibuprofen and tea and wailing a little.

Now, please do not inundate me with tips on lifting heavy objects, unhelpful instruction to try yoga or  
some arcane homeopathic remedy. I KNOW how to lift heavy objects(theoretically), I yoga REGULARLY and I am all for an arcane remedy if it includes booze, but THIS type of injury was an accident and it requires the remedy that can only be offered by shopping.

So, I need a new easel that has a crank.

NOW you may offer a suggestion.

You are invited.....

The packers arrive tomorrow to  crate all 17 paintings in anticipation of their journey from my studio in the Waikato to Gallery De Novo in Dunedin. From the north island to the south island, the paintings are going on a trip.

Seventeen paintings take up quite a bit of space, I must tell you!! I am living in Trip-Hazard-ville.  I am anticipating a small crisis of loss at their departure, but we will be reunited on Dunedin 6 October at the gallery, all hung on the walls and telling their stories.

Di and I titled this exhibition VISIT. It happened organically because we always refer to our trips to Dunedin and Otago as "visiting". So, what better title than Visit?
Both of us harbour a whimsical desire to live in Dunedin. It really is a special city and is very close to my heart.
I think the works in the exhibition bear testament to how I feel about the whole Otago and Southland area. I like the place in a way that I can't  fully express with words. I like the extreme conditions, the rock, the dry, the harsh vistas that are supplemented with waters of the most insane colour. Its hard and cold and hot and prickly and nothing says "It will be easy here".....and I love it.I respond to that.

There is something in this unfamiliar landscape that I recognise and I try to portray that in my work...along with all the intense emotions that they seem to elicit from me.

So here is your ticket to the exhibition. We would love to share this trip with you.

Di and I will be in the gallery for the entire of saturday . We can talk about the works, the process, the inspiration, our collaboration....natter natter. The visitors are visiting.