March/April 2021 update

 Despite the Covid 19 Pandemic closing our borders, New Zealanders have continued to explore their own country and support local businesses. It is not without a day, visitors to the North and THE BACH show their interest in our Community Tapestry Project.

Onlookers watch  our weaver, Naoko as she works on the tapestry.

During the school holidays, we always get families stopping by and keen to show their children how weaving is done on an upright tapestry loom.

It is wonderful to see parents showing their offspring a new skill and inspire creativity in the process.

Founding member of THE BACH, Glenda chatted to her nephew, Mark from Auckland while he had a go at weaving. 

Saoirse (pronounced “Sur-sha”)and her Mum were having some mother/daughter time together when they discovered our tapestry weaving. Saoirse who is 8 years old, lives here in Whangarei and loves art/being creative, enjoyed learning to weave.

With Mokaba Cafe adjoining the gallery, we often have children who "pop across" to do some weaving while family/friends chat. 

Joseph Murdoch, aged 10 from Hatfields Beach, Auckland loves being creative and loved the process of weaving. He would have stayed all day if his Mum let him!

This is where we are at, as of the 1st of May. The rest of the panel has been rolled down and under the loom.

Thanks for  stopping by and checking on the community tapestry!

Jan 2021 update

A belated Happy 2021 to you! 

 

Despite Covid affecting tourism in New Zealand, there is still much movement and travel as kiwis visit their "own backyard"

Naoko took a much need break from working on the tapestry over Christmas/New Year but we still had lots of visitors enjoying seeing our community project with some appreciating the opportunity to try their hand at weaving.

Whangarei Mayor, Sheryl Mai's niece was one of them. 

                                     Alice, from Wellington was visiting family over Christmas.                                                                                              It was her first time weaving.

A visitor who didn't want to named also enjoyed doing some weaving on the harmony looms.

Our weaving progress...

And a few detailed photos below...

Thanks for stopping by and checking our progress!

November 2020 update

At the beginning of October Naoko started worked on the wharf area and Julia worked on the adjacent side of the docked boat.

It is always a pleasure to assist a keen enthusiast, willing to have a go at weaving.

...and as at 7th November...

Stay turned for the next update!

Spring 2020 update!

We love having enthusiastic people, of any age wanting to have a go at weaving. This is Pippa from Onerahi, Whangarei who is 6 years old. She was a very attentive weaver and good at it too!

We also get lovely messages recorded in our guest book..

Debbie and Paul from the Hibiscus Coast, Auckland wrote "Love this place! We come here every couple of years - such an awesome project!

So, this is where we were up to at the beginning of  September - working on "the foreshore" 

Charlotte, from Auckland (the Mayor's grand-daughter) enjoyed learning to weaving on one of the Harmony panels. Unfortunately, we couldn't persuade the Mayor, Sheryl Mai to weave! 

Naoko was on hand to give assistance to Charlotte.

 

Aaron Max Finn Caleb, from Taupo said it was an amazing experience to help make the tapestry and Oliver (above) from Mangawhai, who has just turned 7 liked having a go at weaving as well.

JULY 2020 - update

With the move to Alert Level 2 on 14 May 2020 in New Zealand and the re-opening of THE BACH gallery to the public, weaving recommenced on the tapestry again. 

Naoko started working on the left hand side of the panel - a "basket weave" pattern acknowledging the traditional Maori craft (Raranga -the art of weaving) For Maori, raranga evokes strong feelings of unity and togetherness; the weaving together of the people into their families (whanau) tribes (iwi) and into the Maori nation, and spiritually, the weaving together of all of creation into a single indivisible living wholeness.

 Meanwhile, Julia continued to work on the central area - the "water and mangroves"

 It was nice to "get back to normal" be able to do some weaving, chat to customer's some who were visiting the area but mostly people who live locally and share our community tapestry venture with them.

 Felice Croft and Maia Harris-Slade took some time out of their day to try some weaving on the Harmony looms.

Felice thought it was an awesome idea and was glad to be able to take part!

 Linda le Fleming, visiting from New Plymouth enjoyed having a go at weaving as well. 

Emily and Alan left a lovely comment in our visitors book, saying they appreciated hearing about our tapestry project and loved that it was "History in Action!"

JULY 2020

As we weave from the bottom up, Naoko and I have wound down the tapestry again. This makes it easier to sit and weave comfortably. Here are some close-up photos of where we are up to...

Thanks for stopping by and checking on THE BACH Community Tapestry Project. If you are in Whangarei, call in to the gallery at the Town Basin and see it for yourself. If you would like to try some weaving, let us know and we will show you how to do it!