Latest letter

The letters to the editor of the Southland Times around the driftwood sculptures are becoming more and more bold and creative.
Today's, from David Russel makes the point that has become very apparent, that the public, ordinary people, us, we, have a powerful voice and can shape circumstance by our shared responses - we aren't beholden to the actions of bullies, curmudgeons and councils, where those decisions run against the will of the people. It's a very encouraging state of affairs!

 Cunning sculptural plot


I have seen through the cunningly rendered plot surrounding Wayne Hill's clever sculptures.
It's brilliant.
Focus the nation's attention on a great little sea-side "family"and "culturally" friendly town beset by a mean gang of four, and a heartless council attempting to wrap creativity up in toxic paperwork.
That and the big fee surely designed to crush our hero at the centre of the saga.
Enter Jo Citizen and the merry band of free spirited, fun-loving Rivertonians, who set in motion a tsunami of public support.
And to our hero, surfing the support superbly, and continuing to exhibit his wit and wisdom through wood, bigger and better projects beckon.
The plot keeps evolving.
The fees may be waived. For after all, is it not the councils' commercial clients who benefit from the extra traffic.
Imagine the traffic that will be generated by the new "Sculpture Capital of the South", that ought to arise after the council awards Wayne Hill the first of the new Sculpture Artist in Residence?
I predict he will be followed by a stone artist, who will utilise the region's famous pakohe/argillite stone found in pre-sculpted abundance around that glorious coast.
And having got the neurological protest message satisfactorily hammered home, the television crews can be standing by in waiting to document the half-hour show documenting the saga set in motion by Wayne.
So, two things to sort, and let's hope at last, the message to both sets of decision makers is undeniable.
The public is right after all.

David Russell, Invercargill

Western Star responds

(See if you can make sense of the editor's add-on)

The Artist writes " re: chopping down of driftwood sculpture in our estuary. I would like to thank the person responsible, for they have opened a whole new world of possibilities which you will see in good time. Thank you again for your random acked of vandalism.
Wayne of the hill.
[Environment Southland advises consents would have been required. No consents were applied for, therefore no consents were granted. Ed]

Staggering apparition

The moose is in the rag!

There's a whopping great photo of the Mighty Stag/moose in today's Southland Times with a blurb that reads:

"Is it the mysterious Fiordland moose, or a mighty Southland stag? Riverton artist Wayne Hill's latest sculpture, The Water Walker, appeared in the Riverton Estuary on Friday night, just in time for Southland's Ranfurly Shield rugby wim over Wanganui. Hill said when he started working on the sculpture he hadn't decided whether it was a stag or a moose . "Some people said it looked like a stag. Or it's the mysterious moose in Fiordland that's got a little bit lost and ended up in the estuary," he said.

Note to those following the spread of the 'driftwood sculpture' phenomenon, there's another 'warrior' figure standing on 'Gemstone Beach' at Orepuki - artist unknown.

Moose star (did I hear a chainsaw?)