FIFI COLSTON

The No. 8 Wire poses a batch of questions...
A creative person answers...


What cities/towns have you lived in (or spent more than a few months in), beginning with your place of birth.

York (U.K), Cranwell & West Raynham (U.K) Takoradi (Ghana), Wellington, Christchurch, Bristol, Wellington again.

What are the earliest stories you remember hearing?

Grimms fairytales, my Scottish Granny's poems and my father's airforce flying exploits (both in the air and the officers mess) Oh and my sisters used to like to scare me with tales of what would happen if you swallowed gum or orange pips.

What music was present and still memorable from your youth/adolescence?

Bryan Ferry's Love is the Drug, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, all of Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon. I think my first boyfriend had a distinct influence there. I became a disco queen after that then I moved onto Punk as any self respecting art student does. Iggy Pop's 'I'm only Five Foot One' resonated. Mostly because I'm only five foot one...

For you as a creative person, who are three influential artists or thinkers?

God, now I'm on the spot- I could look very uneducated here...For me personally and not necessarily the rest of the world... my arty aunty Isabel taught me the value of a bag of material scraps and leather offcuts, I spent hours as a kid copying Leonardo Da Vinci's anatomical illustrations and trying to write back to front, and a little known childrens book artist Rie Cramer, who illustrated The Silver Thimble Story Book that I got as a 5th Birthday present. I loved her work then and still do now.

What is your dream of happiness?

A boatshed studio by the sea with a very large table that no-one will need me to clear up. Oh, and there would be a very good espresso machine in it too. And broadband.

Who are your favourite or most admired figures from history?

Artemisia Gentileschi- she was a 15th century woman artist with exceptional talent and an interesting history. I struggle to actually admire alot of figures from the past even thought they've done extraordinary/ marvellous/outrageous things. Alot of them seemed to have really crappy personal lives. I gather Florence Nightingale went to bed after the Crimean War and never got up again. No wonder- looking after all those men.

Name three films that you consider profound, moving, or extraordinary.

Life is Beautiful (what bravery) City of God (what brutality) and yes, WhaleRider- we had just returned from 2 years in the U.k and I was overcome with emotion for N.Z that I had missed so much combined with the themes of the film that had me really think about where we look for our leaders and also the perserverance of love in the face of rejection.

What was your first real job? second? third?

Um...I don't think I've ever had one. Unless you count berry picking in Nelson for two summers as a gal and working as an airbrush demonstrator in the Whitcoullls art department for a couple of weeks in 1981. I've always freelanced. I did work for 3 months at Weta Workshop last year though. For 10 hours a day. Good coffee there...

If you had to eat the same meal every day, what would it be?

French toast and bacon with banana and maple syrup followed by a flat white and a berry friand if I could squeeze it in. I would be obese in no time.

Name a few books that you couldn't put down, would read again, haunt you still.

Vey recently, 'Doing It' by Melvin Burgess- so funny and so spot on about teenagers and sex. I've been recommending it to everyone- especially parents who think their kids have never thought of 'doing it'. 'The Lovely Bones' of course and it will be an amazing film (hopefully). The Mists of Avalon- yes, I'm a closet Arthurian and love that whole mystic side of Britain (though it seemed long gone when I was there recently) I'v read it twice and really peeved my daughter won't read it. I read 'The Drifters' (James A Mitchener) when I was 15- that was my first really adult book and it shocked and intrigued and carried me away. I also read 'Go Ask Alice' at the same age and I actually think it was the defining thing that stopped me from trying heroin when pressured to indulge in the late 70's punk scene. I'm an impressionable sort.

What have you done, seen, experienced, or produced that was a disappointment to you?

Pavlova. I cannot make one. Also 'The English Patient'- I fell asleep in it, it was so tedious. People say that Stone Henge is dissapointingly small, but I thought it was great despite my kids whining that they wanted to go and get chips instead.
What was the most recent live performance you attended, and where was it presented?
'Grease' at The Opera House in Wellington. They were free tickets I tell you! (but it was still alot of fun!)

In one sentence, can you define art?

No. It would make me unpopular and I can't have that.

What word of advice would you offer an aspiring artist in your field?

Persist.

Where would you like to live, but have yet to?

Oriental Parade.

What would you like to do, but have yet to?

Earn alot of money so I could live on Oriental Parade.

Briefly describe a project you are planning for the future.

Stalk a wealthy person on Oriental Parade and convince them to be my patron and provide me with a free studio by the sea with a big table I never have to clear up. Seriously though I am working on another novel right now and a Wearable Arts entry; the show is in Wellington this year- exciting stuff!

What one question would you add to this Query?

How do you get anything finished when you have kids?


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

I trained at Wellington Polytech Design School (now Massey) in Visual Communications Design, graduating in 1980. Spent 16 years in Christchurch as an illustrator for the design and advertising industry, childrens books and I was an arts and craft presenter on 'What Now' kids T.V show for 7 years (101 ways with an egg carton). Moving back to Wellington I have carried on doing more of the same (minus the T.V career) & written humerous verse for Next magazine for 8 years. I've tutored design, illustration and business practice at Christchurch and Wellington design schools. In 2000 we packed up the kids and went to Britain for two years where I did copywriting and environmental art and missed the beach. On coming back to NZ, I did an MA in Scriptwriting at Victoria University and worked at Weta Workshop as a storyliner on Jane and The Dragon and a costumer for The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. In 2003 I became a published kids novelist with 'Verity's Truth with a second book 'Janie Oliver' due out in October this year. I am a veteran Wearable Arts entrant and have even got a few prizes for it. I consider my greatest creative works of art to be my kids. They are beautiful, intricate, highly challenging, sometimes offensive, wonderfully kinetic, hugely expensive and I had a great deal of satisfaction in making them.