I am sure that most of you find that some situations get in the way of a commitment you made to continue working on a project come what may? Well, that’s me folks! Yes, I have been procrastinating about getting stuck in to my art work, and I apologise to those who may have been waiting to see progress on my Memoir in Pictures (a working title). I’m only a few pages along from when I last wrote about the book, although I have made some inroads as to how I wish to present my pages, and to execute the finished product – as in taking it from scruffy pencil sketches to the finished product.
Author Archives: viviennelingard
A residency of some kind

Trying to discover why I had persisting pain around my mouth, head, et al. I went to see a doctor, a dentist, a jaw chap, a periodontist and a physiotherapist. After many months I had a scan to look at my sinuses, to find a large cyst was blocking my nasal passage. After fourteen months, from when I began this path of discovery, I am now booked in for an operation. To say that I’m not looking forward to having my nasal cavities explored is an understatement. Still, through all this annoying daily pain, I decided to find things which would take my mind off, well, myself.
I had read about an art residency in the French countryside, which appealed greatly, as Kerry and I had stayed in the area a long time ago, and loved it.

Trains and me and a drawing

I have been absent from my computer and drawing board, as I was out of the country on a short train sojourn from Brisbane to Adelaide, though I did have sketching on my mind. Well, more the potential for later sketches, as it would have been impossible to get the scenery down on paper as the landscape whizzed by. Fortunately I found that my phone camera could capture with technology that which I couldn’t by hand, and the shots I took of the landscape out the window turned out better than I imagined they might.
Our introduction to others at the meeting point in Brisbane was superb, with breakfast awaiting, complete with live music to accompany the event. Kerry and I climbed aboard the Great Southern anticipation rising, as we were to be spending three nights on this train. Many buses were lined up to feed us to the train, which was incredibly long, to cater for the three hundred plus people who were heading off on this adventure. I learned early on that being in a Gold carriage was lower down the scale of ‘class’ than I had imagined, as Gold Superior and Platinum won the top honours. Still, our cabin was fine, and the dining car and lounge the same. The staff were great, as was the food and plenty of nice passengers to talk with.
Time Travel

Looking back, it seems, becomes more common as the years advance, for when I read of a blogger friend’s adventure to Nepal in 1982, I was immediately transported to my own travel experience in 1992. Early that year I read an advertisement for small group walking tours in the foothills of Mt Everest, Solukhumbu, Nepal. It so appealed; lots of walking, wonderful scenery, a different culture, this was for me! And, I should add, this would be my first trip overseas. I wrote to the company immediately, received the information, and three weeks later I landed in Kathmandu along with my walking buddies; Diane the leader, Jill, Annie and I – strangers until we met at Auckland airport! Note: Solukhumbu is the area where New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary had built schools, hospitals and given other support, since he had famously scaled Mt Everest alongside Sherpa Tensing in 1952.
New Beginnings

Hi to all. I do hope your Christmas break has been relaxing and you are once again immersed in your art, work, reading, or whatever moves you most. While our holidays are behind us here, there have been many disruptions to my intended outpouring of my art and writing project. I decided this week to give you some idea of why I’ve stalled on my most adventurous art project yet – a graphic novel. I decided to write myself back into this project, and here is some of what I wrote…
Nostalgia at Christmas: Sketches from Spain

Last week I was reminded of my sketch trip to Spain in 2019, and I went looking for the sketchbook I’d used at the time. Previous to leaving, I’d joined a travel sketching group, and in preparation we were asked to choose something to sketch from a favourite place we’d visited. So I chose a photo taken twenty years earlier from the cathedral Sagara Família in Barcelona.
I was high in a tower which overlooked the city and focussed on the sculptured doves in front of me. I used water-soluble ink for the foreground. It’s wise not to load the brush with too much water when you pick up the ink pigment. I used a diluted watercolour for the background.
Some Images from the sketching trip to follow
The beauty around us

These past months have seen me with numerous dental and periodontist visits and quite frankly I’ve not felt great – hence the lack of scintillating posts. However, Kerry and I recently visited a nearby community garden at Forrest Hill (Grow Forrest Hill), to see how differently other gardens are run, compared with our Devonport community garden (Ngataringa Organic Garden). While he chatted to members, I took photos of some beautiful flowering plants. I love nature and colour, and focussing on beautiful colourful subjects is a good way to avoid ruminating on one’s troubles I’ve found. I do hope you enjoy the images I’ve selected.
The best laid plans for a short southern sojourn

Kerry and I booked a short but interesting trip to Kaikōura, as part of a Great Journeys NZ trip. This included: a train ride, an overnight stay in a nice hotel, a dolphin excursion (or whale, or albatross watching), and a return train ride from Christchurch. We flew from Auckland to Christchurch, stayed overnight in an hotel, and with some excitement grabbed a taxi early next morning and headed to the station to catch a north-bound train, as Kaikōura is in the North Canterbury region in the South Island. We lugged our bags into the crowded station, went over to the ticket office, and after a quick exchange with the staff, found that our train had departed … Let me gloss over that part and leave you to fill in the dots any way you wish.
More about my novel, Mrs Forsythe.

As several visitors to my site have asked about purchasing a copy of this book, I thought it time I gave the details of where you can purchase it world-wide. See poster above for the distributor’s contact. Also, I include a recent review of the novel, which I am most happy to share with you all.
A memorable read

Recently I began helping out at a second-hand bookshop, and came across Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden. The title was familiar, but after reading the foreword, decided I’d missed reading it somehow. It was published in 1998, three years before I went to live and work in Japan.
I knew little of the country when I arrived, but when It came to time leave, the place and its people were a part of me.
I made close friends, and was invited into their homes, to enjoy meals, attend art classes, and cultural events – such as New Year celebrations and rituals. These memories floated through my thoughts as I read Memoirs of a Geisha.