MASQUERADE PARTIES GALORE ... I am pleased to report that there are plenty of parties and events happening out there, in Auckland ... around NZ ... and beyond. Orders for masquerade masks are flowing in, including from overseas.  I love it when people are keen to complete their outfit with a mask made-to-order and I love going the extra mile to make sure it is special. There are 21st parties, 50ths, corporate events, school balls etc all embracing the Masquerade theme.  It's such a versatile theme - plenty of scope to get glamorous, enjoy a little mystique and be decadent, without having to don fancy dress. Let's hope the parties continue ... THE MAYORESS' BALL 2011 If you are attending The Mayoress' Ball on Saturday 19th November 2011 and would like me to create a mask for you, please get in touch and we can discuss your requirements. No two masks are the same, so your look will be unique!
	CREATING MEMORIES IN EUROPE During September and October 2009 I travelled to Europe with my partner and two sons, my sisters and their families, as well as friends from near and far. A fabulous, diverse, fun and inspirational trip. We spent time with friends in the south of France, took a cruise in the Mediterranean, spent a few days in Venice (which is of course my heaven on earth), and finished off with time in Dubai visiting friends. I returned fully relaxed and inspired and have already created a new body of work based around the trip. Check the New Stuff 4 page in the Art section. For an overview of the trip, go to the Writing page
	2009 OVERVIEW The year got off to a very slow start in terms of art sales - to put it plainly, nobody was buying art, thanks to the recession. Fellow artists were faring as roughly as me - sales were dismal overall.  I gained a couple of awards at various exhibitions, which came with cheques, so that made the effort of entering exhibitions worthwhile.  But sales were generally non-existent, right through until May. Things improved at this time when the annual school art exhibitions got under way, and I'm pleased to say I have sold successfully at all the various school exhibitions I've participated in ... inc. Baradene, Auckland Grammar, Macleans, Kohia Terrace and others.  These events are always well supported by parents and the community and it was really heartening to turn the trend and make some sales. However, making sales in this economic climate has came at a price for most artists, as we had to bring prices down to meet the market and ensure our works were affordable.  When you take into account that each school, gallery or body organising an exhibition takes their commission (this can range from 15% right up to 40%) and that the artist has to outlay quite a bit in terms of materials, time, creative input etc ... it's still a struggle to make real money!!  Still, I wouldn't swap it for anything and the more you get your work out there, the more sales you make, the more you make a name for yourself ... the better things become!  But because time is finite, an artist cannot be busier than time allows. There is no such thing as passive income for an artist, each dollar is made through constant creative energy.
	SPECIAL EVENT The Moccona Masquerade Ball, Auckland Museum, 2nd October 2008 Along with several other designers and artists, I was invited to create a designer mask to be auctioned at this ball.  I decided a wanted to create a piece of "mask-art" inspired by the traditional Venetian masks.  After lots of pondering, the theme of "Wine Women and Song" came to me in the middle of the night and I started creating. The piece is entitled "Il Vino, La Donna, La Musica", again building on the Italian-inspired theme.  This piece of work was auctioned at the ball on 2nd October 2008. Photos of my mask-artwork, along with masks by Trelise Cooper, Frances Cooper (World), Sharon Finn, Kathryn Wilson and Juliette Shannon, appear in the October issue of MINDFOOD magazine (pages 49-51).  This ball was held to support the Burn Support Group Charitable Trust to increase awareness around the high percentage of burns and scalds caused by hot drinks. I was also commissioned to create quite a number of masks for people to wear to the ball (including the winner of the "Best Female Mask").  Plus I sold my own mask on the night - it had been intricately created in a vintage style, and finished just moments before heading out the door ... someone fell in love with it on the night and purchased it there and then, so it found a new home. It was a truly memorable evening, with everyone dressed up and wearing fabulous masks. For me, it was a real pleasure to be involved in a fabulous Masquerade evening like this. Il Vino ... La Donna ... La Musica ...
	The NZ Shore Plover Charity Art Auction, London, September/October 2008 Along with several other  New Zealand artists, I was invited to donate a piece of art for this auction in London. I created a piece called "The Journey Begins Here"  - a textured representation of Northland, with three separate panels depicting NZ themes.  The exhibition was held at Suze in Mayfair (a restaurant owned by a NZ couple) throughout September. The charity auction took place at NZ House on Friday 10th October, and I had the pleasure of being able to attend. We were served delicious NZ food and wine in the penthouse, with the most splendid views of London by night. This exhibition and auction were organised by the NZ Society in London, also DOC and Forest & Bird, in support of the endangered NZ Shore Plover bird. I was really pleased to support the cause - my piece raised 1,250 pounds on the night, so I was very thrilled with this contribution to the project.
	A JOURNEY OF INSPIRATION Oct 2008 ... During October 2008 I took a journey of rejuvenation, reconnection and inspiration.  It began with an idyllic week in Fiji - sunshine, cocktails, lots of much needed R&R.  From there I headed for London, where I attended the NZ Shore Plover Charity Art Auction (as outlined above).  After catching up with old friends and colleagues in London, a friend and I hopped aboard the Orient Express bound for Venice. We travelled in luxury while watching Europe pass by, eating and drinking in style and soaking up the essence of a bygone era! A few days in Venice to savour its many splendours - and do some mask research - and then on to the delights of Florence and environs.  I visited a number of mask shops and mask-makers along the way, and have come home with plenty of ideas and inspiration for my own mask-making.  I have been to both cities before, but that was many years ago. This time I experienced them with a mature outlook and creative eyes! Each moment was memorable and fabulous. After Italy, I visited Palma de Mallorca with another dear friend and her husband - an opportunity to gain more creative inspiration while enjoying the sophistication of this island playground full of Spanish flavour. I rather fell in love with this chic and sophisticated, yet ancient and charming, island.  The fact I stayed in a fabulous boutique hotel and also my friends' family villa on the hill (incredible place and unbelievable views) added a good dose of luxury and fun. I had some more time to enjoy my beloved London, make more connections old and new, and then returned home in early November to digest all this inspiration and conjure up some new artworks and mask ideas ... Travel is such a vital component of my inspiration and creativation, and this voyage was no exception .... Sally