Shake, Rattle and Roll..

This has been quite a week. I stayed last weekend down in Reefton with a group of painting friends and , like many others, we were woken in the early hours of Monday morning by the violent earthquake which has caused so much damage. I drove home to find that we had been lucky at Nelson Lakes, although we're not far from the epicentre we haven't had any real damage. But the state highway which runs through our little settlement has suddenly become the main  route south, which is resulting in huge increases in traffic , especially trucks. It's been a very busy week for all trying to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone coming through. 

I had been busy planning an exhibition in Blenheim in a few weeks - I've been preparing watercolour and mixed media works for this, and Graham Taylor (who will be showing in the adjacent gallery at the same time) has been working on paintings featuring the landscape of the Awatere and Mt.Tapaeanuku.
We have decided to postpone the exhibition until March - the people of Marlborough have a lot going on around them , and an exhibition just feels inappropriate at the moment.
Oddly enough, this painting was one I did of Ward Beach a few weeks ago - called "Where the Sea Ends" ...except that it doesn't any more- the seabed there has risen some two metres and the beach is now a lot wider ...Maybe I should rename it "Where the Sea Used to End?"
​Our thoughts are with all of those affected on the coast and in Wellington.