Shattered city rises again as glass art

Yesterday morning was a bitter-sweet time for Christchurch glass artist Jasmine Keir.

Just as she was selling out of unique quake-inspired works at a craft show in New Plymouth, word came through that her home city had been hit by yet another big aftershock.

A visibly shaken Keir said she can't go home, because she's now got to travel to North Shore as part of the Dunkleys Great New Zealand Craft Show.

"I've checked out all my friends and relatives in Christchurch, and everyone's OK. But I'm still feeling very nervy. I'm normally a glass half-full sort of person – but I've got to admit all this has completely floored me."

Life has been topsy-turvy for Keir since the massive earthquake on February 22 demolished the contents of her Heathcote Valley studio, destroying at least $10,000 of mirrors and glass that she used in her business, Reflective Art.

"I cried for three weeks – I simply couldn't believe what had happened," she recalled. "But then one morning I woke up with a vision to rebuild my city out of the broken pieces of mirror. So that's what I've done. Each piece is a representation of a scene that was so familiar, but now at all sorts of angles."

Her Quake Art prompted a massive response in New Plymouth, and by the end of Queen's Birthday weekend she had sold out.

She was thankful for that in more ways than one.

"I've found that part of the healing process from the earthquake is listening to other peoples' stories. Everyone seems to know someone in Christchurch, and the human kindness that is being shown throughout the whole of New Zealand is fantastic."

Show organiser Fiona Dunkley said the New Plymouth event had once again proved successful, with big numbers crowding into the stadium each day over the long weekend. But she too was feeling shaken by yesterday's quake.

"There are three of us in the Dunkleys business – and every one of us lost our homes in the February earthquake."