Forbidden Fruits - Red Yellow Blue

Here they are!

My entry  into this years the World of Wearable Arts -WOW

A wonderful show and it has been great 

to have hugs with friends from around the world.

A couple more days and back to the studio.

Studio photos - Richard Walker

Behind the scenes shots of our photo shoot by Helen Walker

Time to sit back and watch the show.

                                                                Here I am in Wellington.

                                The adventure began with tea served in these cups on the plane.

                          I ask the air hostess if I could keep the cup as a memento

                          she was so delighted to hear that I was a WOW designer that 

                          she made an announcement over the intercom to the entire plane

                          “and to the lady seated in 17F-foxtrot a big congratulations 

                           as she is a 6 time entrant in WOW” 

                           and the whole plane applauded me!!!! 

                           LOLOL blush lolol

                          She gave me magazines with WOW interviews and was just lovely.

                                          

                                         

                                           I spent my first day wandering around Wellington 

                                           in the rain doing bits of shopping and looking at the 

                                           window displays celebrating the wearable arts.

                                           

                                                     With a bit of mussel soup thrown in.

                                      Last night I saw the dress rehearsal of the WOW show.

                                      Man those costume creators are phenomenal!

                                      I most certainly have no expectations of prizes.

                                      I feel very lucky to be in the show and just a touch 

                                      concerned that mine may look a little home made in 

                                      comparison to the hi tech creations some young designers 

                                      are creating these days.

                                      How wonderful to share the stage with such amazing work!

                                      Today was a wonderful day spent with all the fellow 

                                      International designers hosted by Wellington City Council.

                                      The group of international designers is the largest to date 

                                      coming from Taiwan, China, India, UK, USA, Canada, 

                                      Australia, Germany, and Netherlands so we divided into two 

                                      groups some went to Weta and some to TePapa.

                                      I took part in the tour of TePapa where we viewed collections 

                                      of woven traditional capes with feathers and textiles, combs, 

                                      wooden tools and the winning costumes from the WOW collection 

                                      over the last 25 years.

                                      We were served a delightful lunch at the museum.

                                       Inspiring talks were given by two designers who I deeply 

                                       respect, Lynn Christianson from USA and 

                                       Fifi Colston from Wellington.

                                       The day finished with drinks at a pub on the harbour followed by 

                                       dinner at an Indian Restaurant with some of my favourite 

                                       Kiwi designers.

                                       Life is wonderful 

                                       Tomorrow my wonderful niece arrives and I will have 

                                       family to share  the full Awards Show with. 

                                       My goodness I feel so privileged!

I've got that WOW feeling!

                         

                     This time next week I will be in NZ

                     and WoW will be all happening in fact

                     it will be nearly time for me to return home!

                     Wednesday

                      I will see the preview of the show.

                      This is a chance to check that it is moving correctly

                      and that it is being worn properly i.e. that it is not back to front.

                      Thursday 

                      The International Designers are hosted by Wellington City Council 

                      to a tour of either Weta (the film studios / shop) or 

                      a tour of some of the collections of TePapa (the National Museum) 

                      I have asked to part of the TePapa tour. 

                      The ceramics and textiles at TePapa are wonderful!

                      I am very excited to see these collections.

                      Friday 

                      The Australian Designers have been invited to a champagne 

                      breakfast with the Australian High Commissioner and his wife

                      and in the evening it is the big Awards Night.

                      I am very excited that my niece, Sarah, 

                      is flying over to join me for the show.

                      I feel very lucky that she will be with me to share the show. 

                      So looking forward to clinking champagne glasses 

                      with you my lovely! xxxoooxxx

               

                      Sunday I will fly to Nelson for the day to check out the exhibition

                      that my 'She Shells' are in at the moment.

                       In and around all of that there are catch ups planned 

                       with lots of lovely friends. 

                       More about that later.

                       I hope to add some blog posts during the week
                       but it is hard to know if that will be possible
                       and how and when I will be able to do that.

                      As I can't post pics yet of this years entry
                      I will just pop in a little retrospective
                      of my previous entries in WOW.

                                       
                                            2012 'She Shells'

                                            Models - Frances Donadson
                                                           Amy Donaldson
                                                           Sarah Sulan

                                             Photography - Richard Walker

                                                     2011 'Tea Party'                                                 Model - Mara Sanders                                             Photography Sadhana Peterson
                                                               2009 'Opera Diva'                                                              Model - Liz Webby                                                 Studio Photography Richard Walker                                                On site photography Sadhana Peterson                                                                                                          

                                                     2005 'A Couple of Nice Fresh Snappers'

                                                               First Show in Wellington

                                                              Model - Emma Cummings

                                                           Photography - Richard Walker

                                                          

                                                            2004 'Escape From Captivity'

                                                                     Last show in Nelson


                                                               Model - Emma Cummings

                                                           Photography - Richard Walker

                     So I had to write a little ditty to celebrate.....

                  T'is the week before WOW when all over the world

                  Designers are packing with excitement and twirls.

                  Their costumes were shipped to New Zealand to dance

                  In the hopes that Dame Suzie would say "WOW!" with a prance.

                  Kiwi designers welcome internationals galore

                  For this is the time and the place we designers adore.

                  Cultures stream in from places far and wide

                  It is a river of colour, a creative high tide.

                 The  models and actors are ready off stage

                 While the singers and dancers are ready to rage.

                 All the lighting is rigged and the music is fine

                 The audience dressed and ready to dine.

                 For WOW is astounding, breathtaking, spectacular!

                 "So much to see!" we all gasp, (at the costumes in particular.)

                 The lights and the set, the music and colour

                 It all brings a luster of magic that twinkles for ever.

            Thank you WOW for nurturing the creativity of designers around the world.

           A creative family that keeps growing and blooming.