Karekare's legendary Beach Races - 30 April

Karekare was at its autumn best for the 2011 Beach Races today, with some fantastic horse racing along the black sands.

Congratulations to all the volunteers from the Karekare community and Surf Lifesaving Club for their efforts to raise funds for new surf clubrooms and for a kitchen at Lone Kauri School.

Libro International's publication The Iron-Bound Coast: Karekare in the early years was on sale to raise funds for the lifesaving club.

Bob Harvey, the book's editor and former mayor of Waitakere City,

signing copies at the Karekare Beach Races

Copies of the book can also be ordered directly from the club - see their website www.karekaresurfclub.org.nz/ for contact details.

Celebrating our agricultural heritage

What better setting to launch the history of the Auckland Agricultural & Pastoral Association than the ASB Showgrounds, on the eve of the annual Royal Easter Show? 

This was the venue for the 20 April official release of Agricultural Heritage, Hugh Stringleman’s detailed and colourful history of one of the country’s oldest organisations. Founded in 1843, the ‘A&P’ has played a key role in the advancement of scientific farming as an engine of economic growth in Auckland and the nation as a whole.

Hugh wrote the work over three years, with close assistance by the late Graeme Hunt, one of a rare breed of business historians in New Zealand.

Launching the book, the Rt Hon Lockwood Smith, Speaker of the House and himself a keen competitor in the Easter Show, praised the thorough account of the personalities and events that have distinguished the A&P through its 167 years.

Bruce Orr, president of the Auckland Agricultural & Pastoral Association, lauded Hugh Stringleman as New Zealand’s pre-eminent agricultural journalist, and expressed his appreciation for his contribution.

Oratia Media published the book for the Association, and is distributing it nationwide through Publishers Distribution Limited. For orders or more information contact marie@pubdist.co.nz, phone 09 828 2999. 

Click here for a review of Agricultural Heritage on Beattie's Book Blog.

Chris Hoult show opens in Wellington

Chris Hoult is pioneering the handcrafted photographic technique of gum oil printing in New Zealand. His exhibition opens in Wellington tomorrow; here's what Chris has to say about the printing process.

Making gum oil prints

Ironically I discovered the gum oil process through the digital system. When Kodak sold out of the black & white film market I began researching alternative processes, and as luck would have it I bought two books on TradeMe. One was by Karl Koenig, who had developed the gum oil process. The process is long and involved, which probably explains why I am, as far as I know, the only Kiwi doing them and one of only a few worldwide.

First an enlarged black & white positive is made, then a contact print is made using a sheet of watercolour paper that has been precoated the night before in a light-sensitive emulsion. The print is exposed in direct sunlight, washed, and then oil paint is rubbed into the exposed print. After a day the print is washed and then, depending on results, is bleached, etched or in some cases worked with a sable brush to create individual prints.

I love being able to manipulate my prints physically, I love the fact that my contact prints are made in direct sunlight and dry in the wind. I love it that I have no control over those elements and that, combined with the enormous variables involved in the process itself, gives each handcrafted print its own unique beauty.

Chris is also the author of Out West, which Libro's Peter Dowling edited when at Reed Books, and we are working with Chris now on further book projects.

Tim Tipene previews Warrior Kids

Author Tim Tipene spoke last night at Sneak Previews, the opening session of the Spinning Tales National Children's Writers' and Illustrators' Hui organised in Auckland by Storylines and KiwiWrite4Kids (http://www.spinningtales.co.nz/). Tim previewed his educational manual Warrior Kids: Warrior Training for Children, which will be published by Libro International later in 2011.