Latest news with #OtagoPolytechnic
Otago Daily Times
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Discards redesigned for charity auction
Otago Polytechnic student Emily Gilbert shows off the papier mache torso she created, at the special Red Cross auction on Thursday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Dozens of previously unwanted or unsellable items have been brought back to life. The "Retooled" auction, hosted by the Red Cross, featured works from Otago Polytechnic school of design students. The students had about a month to prepare for the auction, and the only stipulation was the final product needed to use material sourced from the Red Cross. At least 28 separate items were auctioned while another 24 went on sale. Steve King, of the Red Cross, said it was an opportunity for students to showcase creative flair, as well as find some use for previously discarded items. "I think it's great to see what can be done with items that you would think are at the end of their life. So with a bit of thought and skill, you know, some really, really good quality items can be created." Remaking old clothes proved popular among students this year, he said. "The standard of some of the dressmaking was really high and really, really creative, especially the design component. "There was a really lovely jacket and, some really nice garments, dresses, tops." One of the items up for auction was a papier mache torso, fashioned from old newspapers and music books from the basement of the Red Cross building. Artist Emily Gilbert, 19, said it took about a month to make. "It was pretty hard work, because it's made of fabric and glue, so getting some of the shaping was quite difficult and time consuming. She said she was inspired by Greek art and design and also wanted to celebrate the music of composers such as Chopin. "We managed to transform discarded remnants into something human. "I feel like I've gained some skills in how to work with my hands a bit more, and I like doing research into the old paintings and old sculptures." She "purchased" the item for her grandmother, who was "really interested" in her work. Mr King said the auction raised about $1700 for the Red Cross. "It's definitely something we would do again. It's a big project for the students. I think the youth engagement and the collaborative aspect of it is as important as the fundraising."
Otago Daily Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Investment adviser aiding the community
She's a woman on a mission to help others, whether through her job as a financial adviser or via service organisation Rotary. Business editor Sally Rae talks to April Eden. Meet April Eden from Dunedin — and yes, that really is her tagline. The rhyme is on purpose and this powerhouse is hot on her own purpose, particularly helping women build confidence with money and take control of their financial futures and flying the flag for service organisation Rotary as a vehicle to do good in the world. English-born but Dunedin-proud, her road to becoming an investment adviser might not have taken a traditional trajectory but she was determined to show her daughters she could achieve something and make her mark on the world. It was when her first child was young that Mrs Eden, 33, decided she did not want to be "another statistic". Having quit secondary school at the beginning of year 12, she worked in hospitality. At 19, she became pregnant and, while "not quite a teen mum", she felt she was still not a full mum in the eyes of society. With creative flair, she had initially thought she would pursue something like graphic design but at 23 found her aptitude in accounting. When she decided to return to study, backed by her supportive partner, she did not want to commit herself, knowing that secondary school and herself did not agree with each other. So, she did a certificate of business administration at Otago Polytechnic and discovered it was very different from secondary school — "you're in charge of yourself". Having enjoyed that, she later completed a Bachelor of applied management, switching majors from marketing to accounting, at the polytechnic. Those early years were a whirlwind which included getting married, having a second child and buying and selling several houses. While studying, she was one of three New Zealand-based students selected to take part in a student workshop held as part of an entrepreneurs' summit in China in 2018, coincidentally all three coming from Otago Polytechnic. But then she could not find a job as an accountant, despite "interviews galore" all over the country. She specifically wanted to get into audit and risk, with a desire to know how businesses worked, but interviews would indirectly raise the matter of her having two children, questioning how she was going to manage the travel. Also, she was getting blank looks when she asked what the career path looked like for her three years down the track. After potentially uprooting her husband, children and life, she did not want to be uplifting them again in three years' time and she wanted to show loyalty to a company — somewhere she could "grow with them". It was when she got an interview for a private wealth assistant at Craigs Investment Partners that she was shown exactly what a 10-year career path looked like. She started there in 2018 and has worked her way up, next January marking four years as an adviser. Bubbly, colourful and a straight talker, Mrs Eden admitted she loved her job. "It sounds really corny, but no two days are the same, there's so much variety in a day." Ultimately, it was a job that was all about relationships and, with a love of people, that flowed through to her extracurricular passion which was Rotary. She did not want to be seen as "just another investment adviser". And when clients or potential clients searched her name, she did not want it to solely come up with her business profile. She wanted it to come up with all the things she was doing in the community that she was passionate about, so they could feel like they were getting to know her a little before they came to see her — "an ordinary person with a pretty cool job, that I actually do care — and I do". President of Rotary Dunedin Central and on the board of District 9999, the Rotary district which covered the South Island, she said it was unfortunate the organisation had the perception of an "old man's club". Her club was 50% female, and the average age was late 50s. "There is still such a need for Rotary, arguably now more than ever," she said. This year, a team from Ignite Consultants Otago, the student-led voluntary organisation which offered free consulting services to not-for-profit organisations, worked with Rotary Dunedin Central. The team was charged with helping make the club more accessible and appealing to young professionals and worked closely with Mrs Eden. With only one of the students knowing what Rotary was before the project, they looked at it from a "completely outside perspective" with no preconceived ideas. Being able to take their suggestions back to the club and further afield was a chance to say "this is literally what young people are saying". For the younger generation wanting to do good in the world, Rotary — which has a seat at the United Nations — could be the vehicle to allow them to do that, she said. Mrs Eden was on a mission to help bring Rotary into 2025 and beyond by breaking the stereotypes, modernising the message and ensuring the organisation continued to do good for decades to come. It was a fine line to tread as she did not want existing members, who had so much wisdom and connections, to be alienated. But she was adamant the only tradition that Rotary had was that it "does good in the community". The organisation had lots of different club structures and options. While there were still some clubs which met weekly, there were also online clubs which did their project planning online, and some clubs which dealt specifically with one cause. "It's just that balance between reminding our existing Rotarians why you joined in the first place — because you wanted to do good in the community — and then telling the next generation that 'hey, we're here and we'll help you do these good things that are important to you now'," she said. Personally, Rotary had given her purpose, friendships, professional and personal development and the chance to make a real impact. Her club was very open to change and trying new things. It had three or four key fundraising projects a year; it helped with the Dunedin Brick Show, featuring all things Lego, at the Edgar Centre and the money raised went to a youth-oriented charity — last year it was Rock Solid. It has the Rotary book sale next month and it also sells pea straw. It bought a commercial washing machine for the Night Shelter and has helped re-establish gardens and an orchard at Bradford School and has also helped the astronomical society. "We recognise that the little guy needs help too. Buying a new laptop for an organisation ... could be the difference between them paying rent on a building they're using for a month or two," she said. Mrs Eden said, when asked how she managed to balance everything, that she worked very hard and she had a fantastic support system with her husband. When it came to resilience in leadership, she was inspired by her elder daughter, who was one of two children who went missing after a bush walk in the Mavora Lakes area in Southland in July 2023. They were found by a search party the following morning. Her daughter came out of that experience braver and even went skydiving for her 13th birthday. Watching her navigate that experience, Mrs Eden said she could not "be the scared person". "Leadership is not about how to avoid the storms, it's how you navigate them and how you bring the others through with you," she said.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
World of wonder, winter fun
In a chilly workshop space in North East Valley, a world of fantastical winged beasts is taking shape, amid final preparations for next weekend's Dunedin Midwinter Carnival. The giant community event celebrating the longest nights of winter will be held next Friday and Saturday evening, June 27 and 28, transforming First Church and its grounds into a winter wonderland. Working hard to bring this year's carnival theme, "Wings of Wonder" to life is a dedicated team of lantern-making artists, led by Filipa Crofsky, who are putting the finished touches on new giant lanterns depicting Aotearoa's native birds, butterflies, soaring mythical creatures, flying spacecraft and even a hot air balloon. "The theme's focus on flight has allowed us to really use our imaginations in building some spectacular lanterns, which are going to look great in the First Church grounds," Ms Crofsky said. "We are also turning the inside of the church into a butterfly house, filled with butterfly lanterns, which we think people will enjoy." Now in its fourth year at First Church, after changing its format from the giant one-off lantern parades around the Octagon before the Covid pandemic hit, the new-look Dunedin Midwinter Carnival continues to develop in imaginative ways. This year, the event will also include a "fairy zone" containing 42 fairy houses. "We think this will be a fun area for the children to explore," Ms Crofsky said. Putting it all together is a huge task for a relatively small team of volunteers, who worked hard with limited resources to create the many lanterns, as well as running community workshops. "We have reached panic time now, when we need to get the last lanterns finished, and then get everything set up at First Church next week," Ms Crofsky said. Meanwhile, costume creator and performance co-ordinator Rochelle Brophy is also hard at work helping to bring the wonderland to life. "We will have costumed performers roving through the crowds throughout both evenings, as well as featured roles such as the Owl Queen in her chariot pulled by owls," Ms Brophy said. There will also be dance and music performances by local groups inside Burns Hall, live music stages outside in the grounds, and Brophy Aerials performers frolicking high in the trees. Local musicians Josh Botz (piano) and a dancer, and singer-songwriter Becca Caffyn will be on-hand to entertain the crowds, and the evenings will end with a main-stage performance by Tahu & The Takahes. "We will also have a spectacular aeroplane flying around the crowd, alien contortionists and an astronaut at the top of a tree — it's going to be amazing." The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival team was also working with third-year design students from Otago Polytechnic's College of Art, Design and Architecture, who had created extraordinary images to be projected on to the outside of the church, as well as some new interactive installations. Principal lecturer Denise Narciso said the students were "thrilled to once again partner with the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival — our second collaboration, and this time, it's bigger and better than ever". Local families who have taken part in lantern-making workshops will be able to showcase their work in lantern processions, which will wind through the church ground on both evenings. There will also be a selection of food trucks on site, as well as mulled wine and fire pits. Event Information: The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival When: Friday and Saturday, June 27-28 Where: First Church Times: There are three session times each night 5.30pm, 6.30pm and 7.30pm. There will also be a sensory session for those susceptible to crowds, loud music, flashing lights, or who have accessibility needs, from 4pm on Saturday, June 28. Cost: $5 for children (under 3 years free), $10 for adults or $25 for a family pass (2 adults, 2 children). Pre-purchasing tickets will ensure entry at your desired time, via The carnival is once again offering its pay-it-forward initiative, and is partnering with charity organisations in order to distribute tickets to the community.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Opinion: a time to pause, reflect and connect with whānau
Rebecca Swindells. Photo: supplied Matariki is the rising of the star cluster that marks the Māori New Year. It gives us a chance to slow down, come together and ground our mahi in te ao Māori. For those of us working in education, it is a powerful reminder that learning is not just about deadlines and assessments, it is about people, purpose and connection. Matariki invites us to pause and prioritise our wellbeing. We use this time to gather, share kai, reflect and plan. It is about remembering those who have passed, celebrating what has been achieved and setting intentions for the future. Not just in study, but in life. This week at Otago Polytechnic, we have been celebrating Matariki and Puaka with a full lineup of events. Some of our highlights have included creative activities such as mahi toi (arts) and tukutuku weaving, alongside daily reflection through Matariki huka nui and kapa haka performances. We have also shared kai throughout the week, including "Hangī in the Hub" (prepared onsite), bringing together ākonga (students), kaimahi (staff) and our hāpori (community). Matariki is a time to centre Māori knowledge and values such as kotahitanga (unity), manaakitanga (care) and wānanga (deep learning). It reminds us that success looks different for everyone and that sometimes, taking a breath is just as important as pushing forward. On a personal level, Matariki brings a gentle sense of peace. I think of my tīpuna and those I have lost. I share memories with my whānau and we reflect together on where we come from. Sometimes we visit a memorial, sometimes we just sit and talk, but always, I feel that quiet connection across generations. Matariki is not just a Māori version of the new year's celebrations. It is a time to pause, reconnect and dream. Whether you are in a classroom, at work or with whānau, I hope you find space to breathe, to remember and to look forward. That is what Matariki is about.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Firing things up
One of New Zealand's top ceramicists, Chris Weaver, has been working on his latest collection at the Dunedin School of Art. The tablewear potter tells Rebecca Fox the secret to success is staying true to yourself. Standing in West Coast swamp waiting for the frost to melt so he could pick sphagnum moss, Chris Weaver had one thought — "I'm not going to do this for the rest of my life". As a dad with a young family, he had been attracted by the good money the job offered, but the experience, while not fun, did give him the determination to make a real go of his first love, potting. He discovered a love of clay as a child when his father dug out steps in a bank of the family's property in Nelson. Then at high school he gravitated towards the art room, where he spent most of his time. "I was only interested in art." Finding a potter's wheel stashed away in the back cupboard, he dragged it out, found some clay and taught himself to throw pots. "It's a very addictive kind of material. I think its the immediacy of being able to create something quickly." When he was in the fifth form (year 11), his art teacher told him he was wasting his time at school and should go to art school, recommending Otago Polytechnic's course. Weaver, probably the last student they let into the course with just school certificate, was just 16 years old and a "fairly innocent country boy" when he arrived at art school. "I grew up really quickly, and I think I was like a sponge, I just sucked it all in. The whole world opened up to me." He specialised in design and sculpture for his fine arts diploma, and followed that up with a ceramics course. On finishing his studies he decided to return to the West Coast, the only place that felt like home to him after moving around the country growing up, as his father worked in a bank and was often transferred. "I just love it there." He continued to pot, building a studio and kilns as money allowed at Kaniere on the outskirts of Hokitika. Back then jobs were plentiful on the Coast, and he could pick up short-term work when needed to fund his growing family and time working on his pottery. "So when the money ran out I'd get a job for a few months, and then get back to it again." With a wife who helped support the family and the determination not to go back to harvesting sphagnum moss, Weaver focused on making a go of being a potter. "I decided I'd try to make pots that I thought other people would like." He tried his hand at commercial pottery but did not enjoy it. "To make money, you have to almost become a factory worker. And I didn't enjoy that at all. But I did do it for a while. You do what you have to do. But the work suffers, I think, when you have to do that." The 1970s was the heyday of potters, when you could "put a brown glaze on anything and it would sell", he says. But it all came to an end when government regulations opened the door to cheap Chinese tablewear, and a lot of potters gave it up. "That was all I could do, so I kept going. But I decided that I'd make something that you couldn't buy anywhere else. That's how I survived that, and now ceramics is making a comeback again." It was when he was cleaning out his grandmother's house that he found the inspiration that would change his career trajectory — an old cast-iron flat iron dug out from the hot water cupboard. "I knew straight away, it just felt so comfortable in the hand. I went home that night and made the first teapot of that series." The semi-matte black teapot with a rimu handle that emerged went on to win several awards. He selected the glaze as a direct reference to the flat iron that influenced the work. It was a pivotal point for Weaver, who used to have to "go around hawking" his pots to galleries, something he hated doing, but with the wins the galleries came to him. "Getting that first breakthrough is nice. That's what I tell the students. When you make work for yourself, that's when you make the best work." Tablewear has always been Weaver's focus as he enjoys the challenges it provides, and it is important to him that they are functional, not just decorative. "There is the design challenge of visually balancing the spout, handle and lid. So design and function is quite important. So I can't make anything frivolous, and I don't like to decorate, so I have to rely on form." Over the years he has developed processes and techniques that make that easier, and when making a new series usually starts with the teapot first. "Everything else sort of comes from that. Once I've resolved the teapot, the other things follow quite easily." Each series he makes flows on from the work that has gone before. In 2011 Weaver won second place in the Portage Ceramic Awards with his Made to Measure teapots and the scholarship award in 2014. He focuses on the main body of the teapot first. He does not see the point in replicating the perfect functional teapot, believing that market has been captured by the round-bodied English teapot. "I guess it's an artistic expression that I'm using to create something. So I do sacrifice a little bit of function sometimes. I've never been satisfied with just round pots, so I've always felt the need to alter them." Over the years his forms, made out of a fine-bodied porcelain-type stonewear, have become more angular in shape, as he has developed new techniques. "All of those pots of wheels thrown, even though they look as though they've been hand slab built. Someone once described it as hand-building on the wheel." Weaver likes the process as it is quicker. Once formed on the wheel he then uses a variety of techniques to change their shape including squashing, cutting and incising them. "Clay is such an immediate responsive material, so I can develop forms quickly." Keeping things simple means paying close attention to detail, with Weaver seeking out glazes that will break on the edges to reveal the material underneath and the marks made in the clay. "I use a lot of cutting wires, twisted cutting wires, to leave marks as kind of evidence of the process." While he started out with a wood-fired kiln, having to keep feeding it was a problem, so he moved on to an electric kiln, which provides more reliable results. But recently he has doing a lot of salt-firing, enjoying the unpredicatability of the method. "I like the way that the glazes break on the edges and they connect. There's the opportunity for something special to come out of the kiln. There's a bit more risk, but because I don't decorate it, it's nice to be able to use the flame to decorate the piece. What I love about the salt-firing is that. You still get that buzz. It's a bit like opening a Christmas present." Over the years he has also created many of his own tools out of driftwood he finds on the beach. It was a case of needs must when in the 1980s it could take three days for a tool ordered from Christchurch to get to him. So for each new series of work, he creates new tools. "They were quite organic, just because of the nature of the material. And they just felt so comfortable to use. And in the end they add to the pleasure of making." While he initially thought living on the West Coast might be a disadvantage, he now realises it has probably been the opposite, as he has had to rely on his own judgement and has been less influenced by trends. That is not to say he has isolated himself, though; his work has been shown around the world and he has been invited to complete residencies in Australia and America. In 2015 he was admitted to the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva. "In America there was a good response. I'm doing something different, a lot different to what they do." At a residency in China, where he found processes were very traditional, he got to work in a brick and tile factory, where everything he made in the first week cracked. "So I'm backed into a corner — and I just looked at what they were doing and changed my technique, and a whole lot of new work developed from that." He has also exhibited and held workshops in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In Japan many people commented on the Japanese influence in his work, although that is not a conscious intention from Weaver. On his travels he has been able to swap pieces with other ceramicists. "It's the work I couldn't make myself. I mean the best work that people make I think is when they are being true to themselves. And I can see that in other people's work, and I really appreciate that." In Dunedin, on a residency at the Dunedin School of Art while completing work for his latest exhibition at Brett McDowell Gallery, Weaver is making the most of the school's different kilns, in what could be described as a bit of a gamble given it is only three weeks until the exhibition opens. "I had a couple of tests come out yesterday from the gas kiln, and I was quite encouraged by those things. I do work better under pressure." TO SEE "Made in Dunedin", Chris Weaver, Brett McDowell Gallery, June 20-July 10th.
