New Zealand Stones
Stone drawing by Jo Collinge/Stephen Moore at Farewell Spit, South Island, New Zealand.
In 2005, friends from Hebden Bridge in land locked Yorkshire went to live for a few years in New Zealand. Their reaction to work seen in the UK and on the blog has inspired me to think about the potential of a world wide stone drawing project.
I’ll leave it to Jo to explain:
‘We had already fallen in love with Sue’s stone drawings, and in a Christmas letter we tentatively broached with her that we were thinking of undertaking a family version of her project on a trip round the coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Given our children, at five and two, are keen on gathering, sorting and creating, it seemed like a great memory project for them. We were inspired and enthused by Sue’s reaction to this idea – the start of a global coastal stone drawing project, which would link us by its origins to our turangawaewae (Maori - place of belonging) of Hebden Bridge whilst we are living here in New Zealand.
Stephen has been the main architect of the project. He wrote to Sue: “I’m totally addicted to stones. I’d never noticed them before - only to swear at when stepping over them to get in the sea. Some of the beaches we’ve encountered had at least 17 different types of rock, some layered like exotic sponge cakes with pinks, blues and greens, indented with sparkling mica and deep red rust and worn down to perfect hand sized pebbles. The frustration at only having a lunch break to eat and select was tantalising and frustrating. The stones we have harvested are sitting patiently in neat ordered piles categorised through a complicated set of aesthetics involving place, size, colour, weather, shape and that unknown factor that makes you stop and pluck a single specimen from a whole beach of stones.”‘
Below is a selection made from some of the photographs they have sent.
And I’m currently in discussion at the V&A about the nuts and bolts of this idea – stone drawings made in situ (on the beach) by anybody, anywhere in the world and photographed. A global drawing project which would speak about time, place, geology and the human desire to make pattern. Watch this space. Your comments would be appreciated.
May 24th, 2006 at 10:33 am
How about a joint project with the Geological Society!!!!! It could catch on and maybe start people looking at the ground beneath their feet and how precious it is.
Love the photos.
May 24th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
It is a great idea. It not only has the things going for it that you list, but it is a wondrous way of enjoying the stones/pebbles without bringing them away. As art I should think that it falls into the same category as Gormley’s Fields.
May 25th, 2006 at 11:51 pm
I can see why these images would appeal to Sue. The colour and textures are superb, and the richness off the colours would inspire anyone to try to recreate this through art. I feel an atempt to get to N.Z. coming on!
May 27th, 2006 at 10:42 am
What a great idea - Jo and Stephen and their beautiful boys are dear friends of ours and immediately I saw the photographs and read Stephen’s words I got the idea that when I’m next at the beach, anywhere, I could connect with them really strongly by gathering and arranging stones, then sending them the pics! My daughter mary used to try to sort all the stones on every beach she visited when she was a small child - how I wish I kept a record of her work.
May 30th, 2006 at 4:43 am
Dear Sue I have been following your weblog avidly. Time, place, geology and the human desire to make pattern are are wonderfull themes to set in motion a project across the world. I, for one, as a tapestry weaver, and long term rockhound would love to see this happen and would take part. No true beaches here in southwest Queensland, but wonderful stone remains of ancient Gondwanaland, and a salt lake ‘beach’ a days journey away.
‘maggieayling’ you have suggested a phrase that could become a wonderful title ‘the ground beneath our feet’.
Dorothy Clews
June 5th, 2006 at 12:50 am
Hi Sue, seems like the idea is catching on - wonderful - have just got back from Devon where we made some beautiful stone drawings on the rocks - shall send you pictures - I’m sure with all our contacts all over the world we could trial the idea and build up a virtual exhibition of patterns/marks/drawings - love the idea of linking with the Geological Society - as you know I already use some of their maps in my work - so beautiful. Keep me informed
June 5th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
There is an intriguing example of this sort of work at www.thestonelibrary.com/migrating_stones.html
July 5th, 2006 at 1:00 am
I think it’s a wonderful idea to link up all the people in the world with a material so universal anybody can get their hands on it. It would be amazing to hear of different cultural associations with the stones themselves, and look for common themes, a collective unconscious to unite us all.
Thanks to Dorothy for the word/identity ‘rockhound’! I am one too, but didn’t know what it was called. I suddenly remember on a gap year in Tanzania coming across a 5 year old Dutch girl lving with her parents who were working in the local TB mission hospital, sitting in the dirt track, crying her eyes out because she’d just had some altercation with her parents. I couln’t walk past, but sat down beside her to find out what the matter was. She couldn’t speak a word of English, but he sobs quietened a little, I didn’t quite feel I could leave, so I idly started to sort the stones around us into little piles according to colour. She joined in, immediately seeing the sense of it, and I left her there, no longer crying, but patiently sorting, meditatively reconnecting.
July 17th, 2006 at 10:41 am
Love the inclusiveness of the World Beach Project. Our beaches here in the North East of Englasnd are really interesting.
Have been taking photos of them since I discovered digital photography a couple of years ago. Am sure there are people up here who would be interested in taking part. Will e mail you a few photos.
July 20th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Excellent! I saw a great St George’s cross last week in the stones at Eastbourne (except it was white and reddish stones).
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Dear Sue, since reading this site, I have been beachcombing for stones both on the NE coast and on the banks of the river Humber. I am a textiles student and see endless possibilities for translating the wonderful patterns to be found from this abundant natural resource. I love the bleached harmonious tones of the beachscape. Thanks for being such an inspiration. Bobbie
September 10th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
I wonderd how to get a picture on your website because I really want to show you my “our” picture which I did with my freinds on a beach in devon. am aged 11 Ciaron aged 8 Molly aged 6.
September 15th, 2006 at 8:28 am
Harry, it’s great to hear about the beach picture you and your friends made - I really look forward to seeing it. We are still working out the best way to set this world beach project up on the website so that you can post your own photos. Sometimes these things can take a little time - please bear with us!
Whilst waiting, you could be thinking about something interesting to write about making the picture. This will be posted up next to the image to tell people things like where it was, what inspired you etc.
Take good care of your photos and do keep a look out on this blog for further details.
Sue
October 5th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Dear Sue,
Greetings from Connecticut! We saw your work at the V&A in January and loved it, and I’ve just come across your blog. Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island, where we spend part of each summer, has some of the best stones ever. I’d love to be part of the round-the-world beach project!