The last blog post of the year

We are nearly at the end of another year and this is the final post until 2026.

This year has been one of excitement and hope with some disappointments and despondency along the way. As it has often been said though, the bad times illuminate the good and the good times have been very special this year.

The start of the year was filled with anticipation of the arrival of looms and equipment from Shetland. Sadly those did not get to Greymouth in a good state because of the ill-packed and transport they suffered. We are still sorting out the mess but the good news is that the studio now is fully open downstairs at the Regent Theatre building and there are two looms in operation with a third scheduled to be assembled today. Progress!

Now that the studio is open – its official opening was on Hallowe’en, 31st October – things have moved on apace. There is production going on, cataloguing of the reference books, conserving and storage of the textile collection and research into the pieces from that collection, and a small shop area. The summer visitors have started to come back and some sales have been made, good for the confidence. Thank you to the volunteers who have been helping with all of these tasks.

This year we visited family and friends in South Africa and Zimbabwe. This was a true highlight for me. Returning to my homeland was fantastic and we had a wonderful trip. It took weeks to resettle in New Zealand but old ties have been renewed and those continue to inspire and support. The colours of Africa are rich and deep, and the scenery is spectacular, but it is the people who make travelling to my birthplace so special. Thank you for the incredible experience.

There was a lot of travel across Aotearoa New Zealand too. The Costume and Textile Aotearoa New Zealand (CTANZ) symposium in Dunedin with its associated travel up and down both coasts was an excellent event, as always. Accompanied by the Eden Hore exhibition and Nom*d show, it was wonderful to be a part of this group. Here is the link if you fancy joining and/ or going to symposium in May this year in Wanganui. Remember that the symposium is in Greymouth in 2027.

We also journeyed up to Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau to celebrate a significant birthday with family and friends, and travelled back down to Wellington Pōneke via glowworms and underground caves, an Art Deco city hit by an earthquake and rebuilt, astonishing gardens, and wineries. In Wellington I gave a talk about Shetland Tweed, renewing links with the islands through the Shetland Society of Wellington. A delight to hear Shetland accents once again.

Of course there have also been trips up and down the coast, across to Christchurch Ōtautahi to see family, to Nelson Whakatu… all the while experiencing the beauty of New Zealand. A talk to Creative Fibre in July introduced us to the lakes and mountains of Rotoiti, and a stay overnight in Westport took us to Denniston where we began to plan for tours in the South Island, basing these on culture and art. This is a job for 2026 and more about those in the new year.

The year also saw the launch of the West Coast Cloth Company (website under development) and the creation of The Textile Trust, Aotearoa. The company will be making cloth and wool products while the Trust will be in charge of all things educational, building our community through textiles.

Music continued with the Left Bank Gallery Choir making appearances at festivals and events across the year. After a day in the studio it is great to be able to sing with the group. We don’t take things too seriously and that means there is time for tomfoolery and giggling. If you fancy joining in we meet on a Thursday evening at 6:30 in summer/ 5:30 in winter at the Left Bank Art Gallery.

So, to end, thank you for being part of the blog and sharing the adventure. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, wherever you are, and that the New Year is full of laughter and joy and love.