...................Steampunk    Yeah I like it.....................................


In the summer my husband and I went to stay by the beach near Dunedin. We went for a drive the day after we arrived at the crib.
We went to the old precinct of Oamaru.
It just happened that it was the day the Tairi train was doing its annual run to Oamaru so all along the drive people had parked up to take photo's of the old steam train.
It was a very hot dry day ...and when the train returned to Dunedin that afternoon, having visited Oamaru it caused an 12 kilometer fire to break out near Mahino.  I wonder if the train ride will now be stopped .I hope not.

What a gorgeous little railway station in Oamaru.... 

and some equally cute shops...

Beyond the railway station a building caught my eye because it looked as if there was a display train in front of it.

On closer inspection there was indeed a train and also the Steam Punk museum housed in that huge building.

Inside was fascinating ....I absolutely loved the innovative use of old mechanical rubbish set against a Victoriana type look....

and how it was transformed into art...

Giant projection screens with turning wheels and cogs

After the museum it was a quick look through town...

and whom should I happen upon but a lovely lady and friend Donna...known to all as donna Demente Artist extraordinaire

http://www.donnademente.com/

I'm always lovin her look but this particular day Donna was glowing ..

I love donna's art so a visit to her Gallery was a must...

Just have to say a big thanks to my sister in law Marie who takes the most amazing photo's ..this and the one below are hers and i love them .They have really captured Donna's Studio entrance.

Meeting up with Donna again gave me a chance to organise another workshop ...

I made these two masked at her last workshop...

I am so keen to have a steam punk workshop..

Whilst I was in Hungary in 2013 I met an amazing artist  selling his sketches and pen and ink drawings at the fishermen's bastion.I bought 4 of his paintings and had them framed for the family I stayed with I bought home prints and will get round to framing them ...I felt at the time they were sort of Sci fi fantasy...I now think they were close to being steam punk.

The Fishermans bastion is a surreal place .Well at least I thought so and I could see how it could be a place to inspire the art of steampunk.

Even by night The bastion captivated me.

“Steampunk is...a joyous fantasy of the past, allowing us to revel in a nostalgia for what never was. It is a literary playground for adventure, spectacle, drama, escapism and exploration. But most of all it is fun!” 
― George Mann

It's a nice feeling to try something new and even nicer to try something old and make it new...try it ...hope you like it .