"Fly Tipping", one of Clare's photos featured in the autumn edition of Art New Zealand magazine.
Still life in Ruakaka
Leafing through a copy of the latest Art New Zealand magazine, Ruakaka readers may experience a jolt of recognition at the images in a piece titled Portrait of Place.
The photographs are the work of Ruakaka artist Clare Slako, a selection from her series of work taken in and around her community.
Clare prefers photographing places to people.
"The pictures are mostly my response to the place. I'm drawn to the landscape, wildlife, architecture."
Inspiration to capture a scene can strike suddenly – one of the magazine pictures was taken on a cellphone.
She was keen to see which pictures the editor selected for the magazine piece.
"It was cool to see him put it together, to see what he found interesting."
Although Clare has only lived in Ruakaka for three years, she knows it well thanks to frequent childhood summer holidays here with relatives, a contrast to her Auckland city life.
Art is also familiar territory – always drawn to creativity, she studied English, history and art history at Auckland University, and has a Master's in History.
Following a graduate diploma in secondary teaching, Clare ventured into the world of secondary school teaching in Auckland schools.
A stint overseas exploring European art inspired a lifestyle change and Clare moved north to Ruakaka and enrolled in NorthTec's applied arts diploma, and now balances her artwork with part-time teaching at Bream Bay College.
She particularly enjoys engaging with students in far-flung places through her involvement with the FarNet programme, teaching via video-conference.
To see more of Clare's artwork, visit www.prana-art-project.weebly.com.
Ruakaka Pukapuka Party
Hours of fun and free activities are in store for children at this Saturday's Pukapuka Party at the Ruakaka Village Green.
From 10.30am to 1.30pm Bream Bay's schools, early childhood education centres and community groups will host activities centred on literacy and education.
At the event, lead principal of Bream Bay's new Kāhui Ako (learning community group) Marilyn Dunn will introduce herself and the aims of the group, and invite people to give feedback on the positives and challenges for learners in Bream Bay, with all participants going into a prize draw.
Bream Bay's Kāhui Ako is still in the planning stage, gathering data and researching the areas of greatest educational need in the community.
Take a kid fishing
Waipu Boat and Fishing Club holds its annual "Take a Kid Fishing Day" for under 12s this Sunday, 10am start.
Club commodore Graeme Giles says it's all about the kids having fun fishing for sprats off the jetty, and everyone gets a prize.
"But last year we had a couple of kids catch some really big kahawai – over 2kg – so that was exciting."
• Email Julie Paton at moojoy@xtra.co.nz if you've got Bream Bay news to share with Northern Advocate readers.
'You don’t want to be doom and gloom your whole life. That's just a miserable way to live'