Selwyn Times: August 29, 2017

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tuesday August 29 2017 9
artisan give back to her community
Was there a reason you
decided to go with the
menopausal theme?
Probably my age. It is very
good for stress relief. I do a
lot of other recycling. I have
started making supermarket
bags because I get sick of
having to recycle bags and then
forgetting to take them into
the supermarket. One of my
favourite places is at the EcoShed
on Blenheim Rd. I have been
making supermarket bags out of
old beach shades.
How did you get into
wearable art?
I took up running in 2013. My
first long event was Rail Trail
Rampage from Motukarara to
Little River. I did it as a ninja
turtle. Since then, I have done
other events including the
Buller Gorge Marathon. My
motto is: I run like a turtle
running through peanut
butter. I may be slow but finish
strong so my nickname is Turtle
Shell. From there, I started
my love of creating wearable
materials.
What work have you
done to get the Prebbleton
Market going?
I started the market last
October. There used to be an
older market a few years ago.
Apparently it hadn’t been going
for a couple of years. I said I can
do that. I did a lot of research
on the timing of it. The old
one used to be on a Saturday
morning. I made this one the
first Sunday of the month.
We have live entertainment,
free face-painting – it is a nice
community atmosphere around
the Prebbleton Community
Cottage.
Was it a lot of work when you
first started co-ordinating the
market?
I spent a lot of time promoting
it to make it as free as I can. It
took a lot of time. The money
we make from the stall-holders
and the market, we give back to
the community. Four months
ago, we donated $460 back to
community groups. It is all about
community and giving back,
rather than a money-making
venture.
ATMOSPHERE:
Shelley
Bakker has
been working
on a range
of projects
to bring the
community
together at the
Prebbleton
Community
Cottage.
Is Prebbleton a close-knit
community?
That is why I do the Prebbleton
Market. The community has
grown so much since the
earthquake – it has spread out
a lot.
I hear you’re bringing
Christmas carols to the
Prebbleton Community Cottage?
Around the cottage, it is in the
same place as the market. It is a
lovely atmosphere. We have got
a brass band and we are hoping
to have a night market, as well
as the carols. It will be outside
weather permitting.
Where did you meet your
husband?
I met my husband when I
was 30 I think. It was after
many years of my aunt telling
me I should meet this guy and
for years I said no. Finally, I
bit the bullet and I did. He is a
mechanic. They are contractors
for a breakdown service. It
is an AA battery service. We
have been doing it for 10 years.
We both used to go out and
cover Christchurch. That was
in between my work. I was
studying batteries as well. I had
three brothers and I was very
mechanically-minded and I have
always been a bit of a tom-boy
really. When I was looking at
leaving school, I thought I would
either do that or some kind of
engineering. I liked photography
and I thought I would go the way
of printing. I tend to be a little bit
rebellious. If there is something
you are passionate about, try
your hardest to make it work and
make your passion your job and
you will never work because you
will enjoy it, which is what I have
done.
ARTS ON TOUR NZ PRESENTS
JAN BOLWELL
HER
GRANDFATHER’S
STORY
“... Jan Bolwell tells her grandfather’s tales of WW1 with a
remarkable vision and perception. Her versatility is admirable.
A “A terrific terrific script. A great script. performance. A tale great well told.
Knocked me for six.” ~ Raymond Hawthorne, New Zealand Theatre Director.
performance. A tale well told.
MONDAY
Knocked
11 SEPTEMBER
me for six.”
7.30PM
- Raymond Hawthorne
THE LABORATORY, LINCOLN
$25 BOOK AT THE LABORATORY OR CALL 325 3006
Our next Arts on Tour performance
has left audiences weeping and
laughing up and down the country.
Consummate performer Jan Bolwell
plays her adolescent self, trying to get
her grandfather Arthur to talk about
his war. After much pestering, he
succumbs.
What follows is a gripping, painful and
sometimes hilarious tale of a young
Kiwi soldier from the Otago Mounted
Rifles (one of Bill Massey’s Tourists) who
with his mate Cyril, survives the terrible
tragedy of Passchendaele.
The play is enlivened with dance
sequences set to amusing and original
WW1 soldiers’ ditties and First World
War poems.
“This exceptional performer,
Jan Bolwell, is blessed with an
irrepressible joie-de-vivre that
communicates itself instantly to the
audience, so that her grandfather’s
story is illuminating and memorable,
but also surprisingly enjoyable.”
- Terry McTavish
The Laboratory is opening especially on
a Monday (when normally closed) so the
whole venue will be given over to this
fantastic event.
Doors open at 5.30pm and the show
starts at 7.30pm. The bar will be open
with a delicious menu available on the
night.
Tickets are $25 and available over
the bar or call 325 3006.
Look forward to more superb
performances at ticketed events
at The Laboratory throughout the
year. Check out our website for
these and other great community
events at The Laboratory -
www.thelaboratory.co.nz