Drawn from Life is a combination of art, mostly life drawing from Taranaki artists, and hot blooded poetry. Editor Trevor M. Landers is a serial colaborator and has brought a huge number of local artists together for this project. He's also brought on board local All Black, Beauden J. Barrett and the editor of Opunake and Coastal News, Bernice McKellar to write introductory pieces. He's donating any profits from the book to Progress to Health, a community-based organisation providing individualised and group activities that enhance mental and physical wellbeing. Drawn from Life is truly a community Taonga. The work begins with interviews with artists and models before moving into the images and poetry.
This is not the first collaboration between artists, models and poets, and unquestionably, it will not be the last. Life Drawing traces itself back to the dawn of human civilisation, and at the same time poets were there commenting on the body, politics and all the dimensions of human experience.
I wrote this book in 2020, when I had the freedom as a Masters of Creative Writing Student at Auckland University of Technology. Between Germany and New Zealand, Covid Lockdowns, civil emergencies, births, deaths, and marriages, a book of substance has emerged. And that has not been due entirely to me: I have had plenty of support In the beginning, Ōpunake Life Drawing Group provided a brief opportunity to draw and write, giving initial ispiration to this idea. More significantly, Jo Stallard and the Fenton St Collective in Stratford, and life drawing gatherings in Oakura, Hāwera and The Gables, New Plymouth, provided the bulk of the art works reproduced in this book. Jana Branca based from her studio in Mangorei was another important contributer. I want to thank all the artists and models who were considered for this book. I continue to admire their courage, bravura and confidence in their vision.I will never be a Caravaggio, but I enjoyed drawing, and process of using life drawing as a springboard into poetry. There is a wealth of talent in Taranaki.
Thanks to the Lasavia team with which this book is co published: Neil Sonnekus for his proofreading; Mike Johnson and Leila Lees for their aroha and support in "sticking to my guns" and "damning the torpedoes" at a critical moment; Rowan and Daniella for turning this into a thing of truly exquisite beauty, Dankeshön.
Finally, I am grateful to Kristan who continues to be my most ardent supporter and to whom this book is fondly dedicated. I hope it serves to reify both poetry and the art of drawing from life as art-forms accessible to everyday life.