Were It All Began
Where it all began.
Hello followers and welcome to all the newcomers. Thank you for your interest in my art.
I appreciated it! 🙏
For those who don't know, I am from Germany and came to New Zealand in 2003.
What brought me here?
A plane would be my cheeky answer but really it was nature. The beautiful untouched nature of
New Zealand drew me in. So I set off by myself to explore a country on the other side of the world.
I have always been creative, with a great imagination. From an early age, I built and crafted for hours and
I still love and prefer to hand-make gifts for people. My grandad and uncle were artists, so the artistic gene is flowing in my blood.
I always wanted to do a creative job, when I grow up. Originally, I wanted to become a woodcarver. I love wood and sometimes have a play with it or just enjoy touching the smooth surface or a turned piece.
When I arrived in New Zealand, the plan was to travel for 8 months, work for 2 - 3 month on the mountain and return home.
After 3 weeks of travelling to Northland and back down to Taupo, I got a job offer to pack Parachutes.
Now that was not a word I remembered from my school vocabulary, so I asked "packing what?"
Now here I have to add that the manager of the company who had asked me, is a German-born, businessman. So efficient as possible he replied, "do you want the job or not?"
Rather than trying to find a job later, I took the one offered to me now and said.....
You guessed it "yes, please!"
That was the start of 5 years in the skydiving industry, where I not only learned to pack parachutes but also the reserve chutes and how to jump out of a perfectly working plane 😊. Just for fun and the adrenalin! 🤙
Now, you may know or can imagine that skydiving is only possible when the weather plays a part. No wind over 20knots, rain or think clouds so you can find your way to the landing area. That is a lot of sitting around, waiting for good weather or the parachute packers to finish packing. Haha...... Never!
For an efficient, social and energetic german, that is too much waiting. I had to find something productive, so I started to draw and paint again. I also started my own little business, crocheting snowboarding beanies. I designed clothing and created the "Little Devil" label to sew onto my beanies and clothes.
After about 3 months in the country, I discovered the black iron sand for the first time and was mesmerised by the deep black and sparkly texture. I had to embrace its unique beauty and started to add the black sand to my acrylic artworks for texture and contrast.
Not long after I started incorporating white sand and the concept of sand art was born. I had my first exhibition of pure sand artworks in 2004 at the old "Flax Cafe", in Taupo. Fitting to space and name,
I kept the subject natural. Nature has always been an inspiration for my art.
I love the beach and being on the water as much as being surrounded by wise, old trees.
I often think of them as old men, who have seen more then we can ever imagine and would give us great advice if they could talk. Perhaps they would kick our arses with their branches and fight back!
I have a lot of respect for our planet and believe that mother nature provides everything we need to live. I like the Motto "Back to Basics",
which I also implement in the health and nutrition areas of my life.
This is why sand is my chosen medium for my artworks.
I love to support and always look for ways to collaborate with other charities and companies, who embrace sustainability and help protect our planet and animals within. So get in touch, If you are interested. Let’s combine our strength to do good in this world - Our Home!
Let’s start now! Lets each do our part, to protect mother nature. It can be something so simple, like not littering, or picking up rubbish when you see it. Recycle your rubbish.
You are an important part, you matter in this important cause.
Thank you :)
Bob Marley in his striking youth. My first portrait artwork from 2004, created with 2 shades of natural New Zealand sand. (Black Iron sand from Taranaki and grey sand from Lake Taupo)