Carnival masks

Date: 19 Mar 2004

From: Harbour-Tyne Streets oral history project, stage I and part of stage II

By: Ogilvy, Donna Demente, 1968-

Reference: OHInt-0800-11

Description: Born in Auckland, 1968. Describes growing up in Dairy Flat - talks about the house she grew up in, attending Dairy Flat Primary School, and learning to swim. Recalls moving to Auckland at the age of seven - mentions Onewhero. Talks about family holidays - mentions going to Wenderholm Regional Park and Kawau Island. Talks about her mother's friends within the 'Inner Peace Movement' - mentions the Nambasa and Sweetwaters festivals. Discusses her involvement in an alternative education experiment in Auckland - mentions Farm Cove, Pakuranga, and Murval Primary Schools. Discusses the advantage of open plan education - mentions her interests while at primary school. Discusses her parents seperation and her father's illness. Recalls attending Pakurange College - also mentions Maclean's College. Discusses how art was seem as a 'soft' subject - talks about being coerced into taking shorthand typing and technical drawing. Mentions her English teacher Bill Griffith and her art teacher Tony Morgan. Talks about her interest in music and cooking - mentions liking the excitement of the theatre. Discusses attending Elam Art School in 1986 - describes her experience there. Talks about Elam's approach to art as being academic - discusses the importance of learning technical skills. Talks about her disillusionment and her reasons for leaving Elam. Talks about taking part in a road march in 1987 - mentions Bluff, Wellington and Cape Reinga. Talks about moving to Dunedin in 1989 - discusses her first days in the city and her first job there. Mentions being involved in performance art and the theatre. Talks about the group called 'Super 8' and Arc Cafe. Discusses reasons for moving to Oamaru in 1995 - mentions Michael O'Brien. Describes what attracted her to working in the historic precinct. Discusses the process involved in renting space in Harbour and Tyne Street - mentions Neil Plunket and Jeff Mitchell. Mentions previous businesses that have occupied the buildings. Talks about establising the collective which now rents the Grainstore Gallery. Discusses some changes in the direction of her art since the move to Oamaru - talks about some of the influences in her art. Describes the future direction of her work and her hopes for the future of Harbour and Tyne Streets. Refers to winning the open section of the Wearable Art Awards in 1991 - describes her winning piece. Discusses her interest in masks and the effect caused by wearing them - talks about her interest in alchemy. Talks about the importance of the artist in society. Interviewer(s) - Jacqui Foley Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-014595, OHC-014596 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5244. Four colour laser printed photographs in abstract. One of Donna Demente alone and three taken on Donna Demente and Jeff Mitchell's wedding day 2 February 2003. Search dates: 1968 - 2004

Date: 1969-1979

Reference: Eph-C-FESTIVAL-Wellington-1969/1979

Description: Includes: 1969: Family Festival. Aro St. Matauranga School. Compered by Joe Coté. 15 November [1969] 1973: Festival Wellington '73. Colonial garden party. Katherine Mansfield Garden Fitzherbert Terrace, 18 March [1973] Festival Wellington '73. Wear a mask for a dream day; me you young old together. Wear a mask to the ball. Mask making workshop, Concert Chamber Town Hall 5-9 March; Dream Day 23 March [1973] Saturnalia, published by members of the Wellington Polytechnic Magazine Course. [Tabloid newspaper of 4 pages, for festival] 16-25 March [1973] Wellington Festival. 'Challenge weekly; the good news paper for the whole family' Vol. 31 no 9, 17 March 1973 [Tabloid newspapers of 4 pages] 1976: Summer City. Meet me at the Mardi Gras. Oriental Parade, 14 December [1976]. (2 copies) 1977: National Festival of the Arts. Video Store 250 Lambton Quay. Continuous showings - video tapes, installations, performances. 20-27 August [1977] National Festival of the Arts. Visual arts. Wellington Settlement Gallery (various including "Kiss" by Bruce Barber; "Hand erotic - moves divine, by Brian McNeil; Neville Purvis lecture) 20-27 August; Elva Bett Studio (photo documentary exhibition by Yuji Saiga) 20-27 August [1977] (2 copies) New Zealand Students Arts Council (Inc). National festival of the arts, Wellington August 20-27, 1977. Free to students - Lift-out - "The Dealer" 2 July 1977. 1979: Asia Pacific Festival and Composers Conference in association with Summer City, [24-30 1979]. Programme sheet Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Offset or screen prints, sizes up to 450 mm.