Local Profile: Mark Spurgeon of Preserve.co.nz

Preserve a website that documents old hand-painted building signage, serving as a permanent record of a dying craft and visual heritage of city life. Started by local graphic designer Mark Spurgeon, Preserve is a permanent photographic record of old signs that are slowly being erased over time - either worn away by weather, painted over, or disappearing as buildings are demolished or signage is replaced with modern equivalents. The collection is mainly made up of signage from New Zealand, but signs from other countries have been added over time, as people have learned about the site and have wanted to contribute to Mark's collection. I recently asked Mark to tell me why he started Preserve and what he enjoys about doing the site. Here's what I discovered:

• When did you start the site and what motivated you? Even as a kid I really liked old buildings. There seems to be a charm about them that is not captured in today's modern structures. I can still remember in Wellington, where I grew up, seeing the large warehouses with advertising painted down the sides for various products from times past. These old buildings had a charm about them then, and even more so to me now as time has gone on. I see something special in a building with a really well-painted, large, weather worn sign. I guess its about the scale, size, and the hand crafted nature that attracts me. I also really love old type and its many forms. I started photographing signs on buildings about 4 years ago. The first sign was in Sydney and was a simple sign that read 'Beware of Traffic'. I remember thinking, when a saw it, that it wasn't only interesting because it was wearing away, but because it was a hand crafted creation - a work of art in itself. After taking that shot I began to build up a library of shots mostly from New Zealand. Initially I was keen to put them into a book but thought I'd start with a website. And that's how Preserve was launched, just over a year ago.

• What do you enjoy most about doing the site? I guess there are two aspects which are linked. First, I really like the idea that Preserve is somehow capturing a fast disappearing craft. There aren't too many signage guys nowadays that hand paint signs (although there are still a few around that can do an 'old school' sign). Today, most signs are computer generated type, made of plastic, which don't have the same old-world aesthetic charm. And secondly, in some small way Preserve is archiving some of New Zealand's visual heritage, as it disappears right before our eyes.

• Where do take most of your photos/how do you find the material you shoot? Most material I have shot has been in Christchurch. To date, there has been plenty of old signage to photograph here and it is also where I live. Having said that, I am finding it more and more difficult to find "Preserve-type" signage I haven't already documented in Christchurch and am now going about discovering the not-so-obvious signage. I find the really good ones when on foot - walking around the streets, not looking straight ahead, but really exploring high and low. There are a lot of great ones up high on building facades. I also normally head for the older parts of town, that are a little run down and where building owners may not have done as much upkeep on the buildings. To get some of the shots, I've had to hang out of windows three stories up, have managed to rip my pants climbing over barbed-wire fences, and have been chased by guard dogs.
  

• Which is your favorite image at present? I have to say my favorite shot is called 'Use'. It is a part of a larger sign which reads 'Use Tai Tapu Butter', on the back of a building that borders the rail yards in Christchurch. I just like the composition, rich colours, and weather worn look of it.

• When you aren’t doing the site (or at work), where are we likely to find you? I like the coffee at C1 or at Underground Victoria Street in the morning. I also enjoy having a beer at the Dux or Bangalore Polo Club in the evening. I think the best food in Christchurch is at the Joyful Restaurant on Colombo Street.

• Fill in the blank - I do this website, because "it's a passion. I do it because I love typography and especially hand painted sign typography. I am always interested in collaborating on project that relate to this forgotten art of hand-brushed type. You can contact me at - mark@preserve.co.nz".

To see more or Mark's photos go to the Preserve website. Also, note that Mark plans to soon release a limited edition range of posters portraying some of the large photographs that he's taken of New Zealand signage. You can keep up with the release of these posters through the Preserve website or by emailing Mark at the email address listed above.

Local Profile: Matt & Tim of Christchurch Modern

Christchurch Modern is a website/blog that profiles residential buildings in Christchurch, designed in the modern period of architecture. It was started two years ago by Matt Arnold and Tim Kelleher, two Christchurch graphic designers that run a design company, Sons & co. We first became fans of Christchurch Modern because it reveals a rich emphasis on architecturally styled buildings in Christchurch, and in particular a style that epitomizes a turning point in design history. I recently sat down with Matt and Tim to learn about how and why they started Christchurch Modern and quickly learned these two have a great deal of passion and a huge knowledge base as to how this architectural movement played out in Christchurch. Here’s just some of what I learned from them:

• What motivated you to start Christchurch Modern? We were both into architecture, but really became fascinated a few years ago while looking for an office for our design company Sons and Co, as well as when I (Matt) was looking to buy a house. Through these experiences we learned that there were about a half a dozen or so architects who emerged out of Christchurch in the modern era (late 50’s through ‘60’s), that really created a name for themselves, both here in New Zealand and abroad. Also, we learned there wasn’t a public sort of database or way finding out more information about the houses designed by this group of architects, since they were working amongst different firms or independently about town. We also knew that the more documentation, interest, and recognition that these buildings had, the less likely they would be demolished one day (although some have been altered beyond their recognizable features). So we decided to start documenting homes we came accros with a photo and an address and hoped people would start to provide more information. We really didn’t know all that much in this topic area at that point, we were just curious and wanted to learn more. Luckily, that’s just what’s happened....people email us now with information about a house they might see on the site and we’ll update the post with more detailed information.

• What do you enjoy most about doing the site? Two years into it, we’re not doing as many posts as when we first started. When we started, we were both just fascinated with what we were learning about this group of architects and this time period in Christchurch when it seems the design and arts comunity was really thriving. Due to these architects’ works, like Peter Beaven, Miles Warren, Paul Pascoe, and Don Cowey, this was a time when the North Island was looking to the South Island as a leader in design. It was a lot of fun for us to learn more about this slice of history and gain a stronger understanding of the way the city was shaped.
  

• How do you approach taking photos and learning about the houses that you feature on the site? Some of our first photos were just taken as we drove by a house or taken over hedges and washing lines. But over time we’ve learned that people who live in these homes are in many cases the original owners, and they are ususally happy to open their doors and have a conversation with us about the house and about going through the design process with the architect. In some ways we think this speaks as a validation of ‘good architecture’. These owners love their homes – they were designed for them, their lifestyles and families, and the homes have really stood the test of time. Most are of an open space plan, north facing, and still work really well today.

• Which is your favorite building at present? Matt: My favorite is the Lyttelton Tunnel Building, just before going into the tunnel towards Lyttelton from Christchurch. It was designed by Peter Beaven and blends in so well with the landscape. Tim: A Don Cowey house that actually isn’t on our site. We came across it in a video that was put together by Zoe Roland of Canterbury University called ‘Four Houses from Four Decades', which examined one house per decade (40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s) that epitomized the design style of that era. The Don Cowey House was the home chosen for the 60’s, is located in Halswell, and has amazing steel beams.
  

• When you aren’t doing the site (or at work), where are we likely to find you? Lyttleton, Coffee Company, Bicycle Thief, Temperance Society, C1...these are all good places we like to hang out. But If you’re looking for something unusual, try Kim’s Chinese on Colombo (this is Tim’s pick). You can order anything there. Also, there is this interesting coffee shop in Heathcote called Upshot, where locals cruise down to get takeaway coffees and just hang out.

To see more of Tim and Matt's documentation of modern architecture, go to the Christchurch Modern site. To contact Tim and Matt at Son's & co click here.

Image Source and Location:
1) Christchurch Modern; Warren & Mahoney townhouse in Merivale
2) Christchurch Modern; 5a Snowdon Rd. Forbes House. Warren & Mahoney
3) Christchurch Modern; 4 Michael Ave, Architect Unknown
4) Nick Burrowes; Beaven's Lyttelton Tunnel Building

Local Profile: Ralph Bungard, Brewer-Three Boys Brewery

Ralph Bungard is the owner and brewer of Three Boys Brewery, a growing craft beer company based in Christchurch. I recently met up with Ralph and had a fascinating conversation with him about his craft and motivation to start Three Boys Brewery. Here's what I discovered:

• What motivated you to get into brewing beer and starting Three Boys? I started out studying wine and horticultural science at uni, with the hopes of getting into wine making and viticulture. Instead I ended up a scientist and university lecturer of plant chemistry and physiology. I really became enthusiastic about beer while living and working in the UK years ago, due to the amazing range and varieties of beer in that part of the world. Upon coming back to NZ, I started thinking about starting a brewery while continuing work as a university lecturer at Canterbury University. I started collecting bits and pieces, volunteered with some breweries around town (including Harringtons) and really started diving into micro-brewing and recipe development. I began doing three boys full time in 2006, first in a smaller premises in Woolston’s Industrial Area, and then moved into the current building in the same area 2 years ago. The Twisted Hop was the first bar in town to start carrying Three Boys beers, as well as Canterbury University’s events facility and staff club (which Ralph notes probably has the best craft beer range on tap anywhere on the South Island). I’m pretty much the brewer, manager, and wear a lot of hats. But I do get part time help to come in to help out with the workload at times, like young brew lovers interested in learning the craft. I just recently had two travelers helping that were on a one year visa from Mexico, which was great, and fun for them because they were learning a bit as well.

• What do you enjoy most about your work? The process of making a product – taking primary ingredients, like malt and hops, and ending up creating something so different. I grew up on a farm, so I have a great sense of respect for taking these types of primary ingredients, and the process of grinding up the malt, adding the hops, and boiling it. I enjoy the physical nature of the work. I believe some men need something physical, either in work or a hobby, to keep their life in balance. I also like the fact that I come across a variety of people in my daily work - from farmers, suppliers, serviceman, and the community of artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the Woolston Industrial Area - such as sculptor Andrew Drummond, the bakery beside us called Breads of the World, cutting edge clothing companies Kathmandu and Skinz, as well as more modern cafes servicing this community like The Coffee Workshop on Cumnor Terrace. It’s an interesting area in a stage of rebirth.

• How long does it take to brew the beer, from the very start to the finished product? It depends on the style of beer. A wheat beer will take about 3 weeks, the ales about 4 weeks, and pilsners take about 2 months.

• Where do your ingredients come from? Almost all of the malt is grown in Canterbury, apart from a little bit that is a special roast from overseas to give some styles a different color. But 90% comes from a small business down the road that grows the barley and then malts it. It’s a relatively new business that can stay afloat partially because of our business. The hops come from two long established suppliers in Nelson and Motueka. Then of course, we have great water in Canterbury, which is an important aspect. There is no chlorine in the water, so nothing to remove. No need to treat it in anyway. This kind of untreated groundwater, that has natural sulphates and calcium, makes great brewing water…and that’s what we naturally have here in Canterbury. So Canterbury really is a perfect region for brewing beer, since we are so close to the essential ingredients - we have good malt and good water. In fact, this is the reason that the Canterbury region had several good micro-breweries before the big breweries took over in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.
  

• Which is your favorite beer at present? I love all of the styles, so it depends on the day. On a hot summer’s day, it’s hard to beat a wheat beer. On a wintry day, I enjoy having the Oyster Stout, which is a seasonal brew. In fact, the Oyster Stout is one of our most popular beers and an interesting style. It is one of the three traditional kinds of stouts - milk, oatmeal, or oyster. In the olden days, stouts were thought to contain a lot of iron and nutritional properties, and thereby considered a “health drink”. Adding in oysters to stout became a common practice because of their high nutritional properties. While we now know a bit more about the true science and nutrition behind beer, the traditional tastes have stuck. In our case, we add bluff oysters to the boil, which gives the beer a hint of briny ‘seaside-iness’ that gets the taste buds working and goes really well with food.
  

• When you aren’t at work, where are we likely to find you? When not at work or home, the other places I go are usually beer related. I enjoy a bar called Pomeroys because of their range of good craft beers, their good bar environment, and it is a place where the kids can come too for a fizzy drink. There are also several great cheap eats in the city that we go to with the kids, like Malaysian Delights or Osaka off of Gloucester Street. I also enjoy involvement with the cricket community here. I play, as well as the boys. Through this involvement, we get to meet and enjoy the company of other locals that we might not necessarily come across otherwise. We also like to get out of the city as a family, my wife and the boys, to camp, fish, and to be outdoors.

• Fill in the blank - “I do this work, because at the end of the day I have something tangible that I have produced and that is a good product that I can enjoy."
  

Beers from Three Boys Brewery are available throughout New Zealand. Christchurch locations include The Twisted Hop, Pomeroys, The Village Grape in Sumner, The Grape Escape on Centaurus Rd, Franks Liquor in Ilam, and Merivale Fresh Choice.

Local Profile: Michelle Sullivan, Christchurch Daily Photo

It is customary for most of us go about our daily lives without paying much attention to the commonplace things around us. But what if we could see our own city with a new perspective, through fresh eyes? This is exactly what Michelle Sullivan embarked upon doing, two years ago, when she started Christchurch Daily Photo. Michelle photographs the spaces, people, and everyday moments she comes across in Christchurch and posts a new photo each day to the site. I recently met up with Michelle to ask about her motivation to start Christchurch Daily Photo and what she enjoys most about documenting life in Christchurch. Here's what I discovered:

• What motivated you start the Christchurch Daily Photo website? I started the site over two years ago. I had come across the Auckland Daily Photo site and loved it. I first checked to see if there was already a site like this for Christchurch and there wasn’t. It gave me an excuse to pick up the camera again after a break from photography. I set up the site in less than a day, and joined the international daily photo network of about 500 daily photo blogs from all around the world.
• What do you enjoy most about doing Christchurch Daily Photo? The comments and feedback that I get from visitors to the site. Many are photographers themselves so there is a sense of achievement from their encouraging words. I also love that it’s become a way of documenting my life. I recently went back to look at photos from previous years and came across the image of New Year’s Eve ‘08/’09. I remember exactly how I felt taking that photo. Before that it’s kind of a blur.
• Which is your favorite photo at present? The image of the Rapaki Track at dusk. I think it really captures a lovely part of Christchurch living – a warm, still Canterbury summer evening, with a view of the hills and of the sea. It was a magical night up in the hills.
• When you aren’t at work, where are we likely to find you? Walking up in the Port Hills usually with my camera. I also quite like going to Lyttelton on a Saturday morning to go to the market, get a coffee, and wander the shops.
• Fill in the blank - “I do this website, so I have an excellent excuse to go out and take photos.”
  

The following images are a taste of Michelle's daily photographic exploration. For more images visit Christchurch Daily Photo.

Image source: Christchurch Daily Photo

Local Profile: Stephan Schaffer, German Sausage Trader

After going through the Art Gallery, stop by and pick up a brattie at The Bratwurst Grill food cart. Owner and trader, Stephan Schaffer, can be found outside of the Arts Centre almost everyday selling cooked bratwursts at the bargain price of $4-4.50 as an inexpensive lunch option, as well as packaged salamis and other German meats. Stephan is also currently opening a European Food Shop call Mr. Schnitzel at South City Mall. I recently asked Stephan some questions about his trade and why he enjoys working in Christchurch. Here's what I discovered:

• How did you get into this line of work? What motivated you? I’ve been doing this for two and half years. A long time ago in Germany, my family became friends with Wynton Rufer, the famous New Zealand footballer. He would tell my brother and I about his good feelings for his country, how friendly the people are, and it gave me a dream to come to New Zealand. For many, it used to be the United States. For me, it was New Zealand.
• What do you enjoy most about your job? Most people coming past are on holiday. They are happy with no worries.
• Where do you get your products from? It is all made in Nelson, by German sausage makers who have been making it there for 16 years.
• Which product is your favorite, and how do you prepare or eat it? The salami. I put it with New Zealand cheeses. I make a lot of antipasto plates with the salami at home.
• When you aren’t at work, where are we likely to find you? At any of your favorite bars or cafes around Christchurch? I tend to go to the places that my regular customers own. If they support me, I like supporting them too.
• Complete the following sentence. I do this…."for the love of quality foods and good sausage.”
  

The Bratwurst Grill at The Arts Centre, Worcester Blvd, Christchurch