Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Clearing my plate & getting ready to Go

Hmmmmm, Its several months since Madi and I biked around the top of the south.

I learned quite a few things there, and from recent "Warm Showers" people.

One couple from America (Dick (72) and Susan  Rogers(70) biking around on a tandam.


A solo yorkshire man Tim, who will revisit, hopefully to give me real native info on biking in England. he had a Hewett hand made bike with brooks saddle, very tidy bloke, his bike looked brand new too!


Another American Couple from Vermont (Rick very active in the political area & Sally a keen cello player) came through also in there 60's, it's amazing just how active, us "wrinkleys" are these days!




Things have been "Moving On"

In the workshop I'm finishing off some commissions, two Jewellery boxes and a large Japanese style sideboard. Mike had bought these Sterling silver handles 30 years ago, which were made in England in 1856.
NZ Matai box with Tawhia, Kauri and Rewarewa details. The centre section fits a glass inkwell




NZ Totara carcase,Kauri doors, rippled Tawhai panels

I will be making more for Mike and Julie when I return in November and have to make sure I have suitable wood kept back from my auction for this purpose.

I have yet to finish another two special boxes for a local woman who has three daughers. I made daughter #1's box, a couple of years ago and, when they heard of my upcoming travels ordered the other daughters  boxes to be completed before May!

On the the clown front things have also been developing with me joining my music teachers group at Nelson's yearly "Masked Parade"
I also approached the Nelson Childrens Library and gave a talk/performance to 60 kids and adults.

So far: my best kokopelli gig was performing at Street Beats on two occasion, where I simply ran riot  in Nelson's Trafalger street, playing my sax, riding the unicycle, even both at the same time, luckily everybody seemed to avoid being run over. Best thing about being a clown is, you can fall off, muck things up, and everybody thinks you did it on purpose,.....you don't have to be good, just funny!


Oh I love being spontanious....I joined a que, at the Eftpos banking machine while dressed as a clown, playing my sax and then shouted out "Is this where you get the notes"

Just up our road out in rural Nelson our neighbor, an englishman, (Kev) whose a little on the eccentric side, sings Sussex folk songs while he milks his goats. I went up for a visit and spent a pleasant evening milking and singing along with him.........so now I'm learning some NZ folk songs, so I can share them while I'm travelling.

Recent purchases in the form of an iphone and a busking amp are opening doors to lots more fun and these will be great tools for travel.
Next week I have the wood auction and managed to get the Nelson Evening Mail, to do this article on me which had Saturday night front page coverage, exactly one week before the auction.
Couldn't be better!

Fine wood worker Jimu Grimmett is selling his stock of wood and plans to travel to Europe to busk as a saxophone-playing clown.


Ever wanted to send a clown on his way? Now is your chance.

Neudorf fine wood worker Jimu Grimmett is taking his saxophone-playing, unicycling, big shoe-wearing alter-ego Kokopelli on the road.
After 25 years in the workshop, Mr Grimmett said it was time to go and meet people and he thought what better way to do that than dress up as a clown, jump on a bicycle and travel to Europe.
He has created his clown, Kokopelli, over the last six months when he was inspired to expand his busking repertoire into street theatre.
"It is just a magical experience. It teaches you to be right in the moment and to become someone else. It is just wonderful."
He plans to make his way across Europe into Spain, Germany, Switzerland and France before heading to Britain and Ireland.
Mr Grimmett is holding an auction on March 6 of much of his wood that he has collected over the years to help finance the trip. And yes, Kokopelli will make an appearance spraying water and getting up to similar antics.
Asked whether he thought that sort of carry-on might put off potential buyers, Mr Grimmett said: "I think it will make people want to buy. I hope it doesn't put anybody off, then I might be in trouble."

I'll let you know how the auction went.......
Cheers and caio
Jimu
Alias Kokopelli

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello. And Bye.

Kokopelli said...

Bye and hello
Ciao