Arts Collective Open Studios

Arts Collective Whangamata Easter Open Arts Studio
The Easter Open Art Studio Trail is shaping up to another exciting event for the Arts Collective.
Altogether there are 29 artists and this time, most of the artists are joining together to exhibit in the four Hubs. There are also 4 single studios so your tour of the galleries will be not only convenient but a buzz of creativity!!
Trail Peddlers: It would work pretty well to get out your bike and pedal round the trail. In fact, peddlers who get checked for the most Hub or studio visits will go into a draw for an arty reward!
Leading up to Easter, we will profile some of the artists taking part in the trail: Hub by Hub.
​​Hub 1: Studio 423,
​423 Otahu Rd
Hub 1 is in the home and studio of Kate Jones Madill
Hub artists:
Kate Jones Madill: Kate is an expressionist abstract artist. Her paintings show an emphasis on texture and colour, leaning towards the abstract, with social comment and storytelling. Kate has works in both public and private collections.
 
Gretha Whyte: Gretha is a fibre artist. Her art pieces involve felting and weaving with wool, silk, cotton and found objects. She creates fashion accessories and wall hangings.  “I love fibre art and colour. About four years ago, I started playing with fibre and colour, mainly felting and weaving, I like to incorporate beads, wire, wood etc within my fibre art.”
 
Lynne Robinson: Lynne has her own studio; Artichoke Studio in Moore Place,  but she enjoys this Open Studio opportunity to join with other artists in a Hub. Lynne is a printmaker. She has her own press for printmaking and explores mainly the techniques involved in dry-point etching, collagraphs and chine colle (adding papers in layers).  Lynne also works in mixed media and acrylic paint, saying that these artworks are often inspired by the land and sea of Whangamata.
 
Linda Bigge: Linda’s art involves mixed media, print and photography, inspired by nature, and the natural surroundings of Whangamata, as well as her broad knowledge of the history of art. She uses vivid colours with layers of textural mixed media.
 
Nikky Seales: Nikki also has her own Studio, Wild Essence. For the Easter Open Studio Trail, she is joining with other artists in this Hub, adding another dimension and medium to this creative Hub. For this exhibition, her work is mainly in the form of clay sculpture and she also works with recycled native wood and “collected bits” to create mixed media works.
 
Mardi O Shea: Mardi is an abstract-impressionist artist. She loves to explore bold colours and textures. There is a lot of energy in her paintings, achieved though the movement of the brushstrokes.
 
Ted Pickett: Ted is a carver and a sculptor. His sculptural work is made from concrete, from which Ted likes to experiment with different finishing techniques to produce colours and patterns that you might find in nature. He also uses resins and natural acids and oxides to get different effects.
​Hub 2: Artworks Studio,
​421 Given Ave
Hub 2 is in the studio and home of Nita Petersen.
Hub artists:
Nita Petersen: Nita is an art teacher and she paints and uses mixed media, usually drawing her inspiration from the coastal scenery of the Coromandel. Nita also creates outdoor art. With a third string to her bow, she cultivates bromeliads.

Gaelene Raill: Gaelene describes her artwork as “handwoven stories”. She explores the interactions of fibres and threads in loom weaving, hand spinning yarns, knitting and crotchet. Gaelene works with fine wools, cotton, linen and silk wool blends.

Jenny Blomeley: - Mosaics and paintings

Janice Marshall: Janice is a portrait artist. Her drawing medium is charcoal and chalk. Janice received the special Academy Award in the art exhibition coinciding with the Waihi Academy Vegetarian festival in 2017.

Heather Collett: Heather is a quilter who belongs to the Hikuai Quilting group. She also works in embroidery.

Holly Morgan: Holly is a potter, her work featuring in Morganmade. Holly worked as an apprentice with potter Andrew Killick for one year and at the beginning of this year, she went out on her own, at her home studio in Whangamata. As well as in this Hub, you can also see her work on the Easter Open Studio Trail at Morganmade, a small shop by Dandelion Cakery, 314 Aickin Rd. Holly loves to create functional art that is aesthetically pleasing.

* The work of the late Pat Lee will also be on display and for sale in this Hub. Pat created handwoven blankets, throws and scarves through hand spinning and hand weaving.  She was an inspiration to many weavers.
​Hub 3: Cre-Art Studio,
​306 Hetherington Rd.
Hub Artists:
​Sue Jamieson: Sue has been an art teacher and now often works with Whangamata school children on art projects. She works in both 2D and 3D mixed media. She works in a variety of media including watercolour, acrylic, charcoal and clay. Her art is influenced by the coastal
Coromandel lifestyle, seascapes and marine life.

Margie Lucas: paintings - Margie won the first prize award in the 2017 Harcourts Challenge as part of the Whangamata Arts Collective Big Arts Day Out. A gift of art classes at a local studio 10 years ago, changed Margie’s life. Nature is her inspiration. Margie enjoys painting with acrylics and experimenting with adding inks and oils to create her own style of art.

Janene Hill: paintings - Janene’s journey with art started many years ago when she lived in Noosa, Australia and was taught by a “wonderful and passionate tutor, Cindy Wider.” Now in retirement, she is enjoying the journey all over again, exploring all aspects of being an artist. 

Cherry Estcourt: A weaver since 2015. Loves conventional weaving but at present is enjoying Freestyle weaving. Masses of colour and mixtures of fibres and threads. Totally original fabrics form on her looms which become clothing and accessories.
​
Daphne Inglis: Daphne enjoys all aspects of art and working in different media. She paints mainly in acrylic paint and works in charcoal and pastel. Daphne also creates mosaic artworks and has fun making garden art from recycled materials.

​Studios

5. Morganmade Studio
314 Aickin Rd, (next to Dandelion Cakery)* 
Holly Morgan – pottery
Holly is a potter, her work featuring in Morganmade. Holly worked as an apprentice with potter, Andrew Killick for one year and at the beginning of this year, she went out on her own, at her home studio in Whangamata. Holly loves to create functional art that is aesthetically pleasing. As well as at Moganmade Studio, you can also see Holly’s work on the Easter Open Studio Trail, at Hub 2. Artworks Studio, 421 Given Ave.
*NOTE: Saturday only
​
6. Kauri Cliff Gallery 
5 Aileen Pl
Tony Howse - Kauri Sculpture

7. Grant Simpson Studio
1065 Tairua Road (past Onemana turnoff)*
Oils on canvas; coastal landscapes
*NOTE: afternoons only 

8. Pottery Studio and Kiln
2294 Waihi Whangamata Road*
(17kms on road towards Whiritoa; past whitebait stands)
Maureen Allison, pottery using clay found on her property
*NOTE: Saturdays only
Hub 4: Moana Anu Anu Studio,
​129 Moana Anu Anu Ave
​Hub Artists:
Bernadette Ross: Bernadette is a Whangamata-based weaver. In 2013, she completed a degree in Maori Art specialising in harakeke. Bernie’s weavings have a particular focus on colour and dyes. Within her weaving practice, she creates porohita, wall hangings and kete. Bernadette is a Whangamata-based weaver. In 2013, she completed a degree in Maori Art specialising in harakeke. Bernie’s weavings have a particular focus on colour and dyes. Within her weaving practice, she creates porohita, wall hangings and kete.

Maree Burt: Maree creates charcoal drawings, specialising in portraiture. Her subject matter is mainly people and animals.Maree creates charcoal drawings, specialising in portraiture. Her subject matter is mainly people and animals.

Kieran Taylor: Kieran works as an artist in both pottery and painting. Her pottery is hand-built, inspired by nature. Kieran creates quirky paintings in bright colours using acrylic paint and mixed media. Kieran works as an artist in both pottery and painting. Her pottery is hand-built, inspired by nature. Kieran creates quirky paintings in bright colours using acrylic paint and mixed media.

Sarah Alves: Sarah is a self-taught artist, who specialises in quilling, also known as paper filigree. Quilling follows a technique of using strips of paper that are rolled, shaped and glued together to create decorative designs. Sarah’s artwork created with quilling for the  Harcourts Challenge 2018, featured a lion with a splendid mane. This work won the People’s Choice Award. Sarah is a self-taught artist, who specialises in quilling, also known as paper filigree. Quilling follows a technique of using strips of paper that are rolled, shaped and glued together to create decorative designs. Sarah’s artwork created with quilling for the  Harcourts Challenge 2018, featured a lion with a splendid mane. This work won the People’s Choice Award.

Judie Savage: Painting has been a lifelong interest for Judie. Her work is a continual process of experimentation with mixed media and texture.Painting has been a lifelong interest for Judie. Her work is a continual process of experimentation with mixed media and texture.

Kaetaeta Watson: Kaetaeta is a flaxweaver. She uses the natural  colours and dyes to create woven pieces from harakeke; kete, flax flowers, hangings. Kaetaeta is a flaxweaver. She uses the natural  colours and dyes to create woven pieces from harakeke; kete, flax flowers, hangings.

Big Arts Day Out Winners and Awards

THIS IS A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAD A PART MAKING OUR HARCOURT'S ART CHALLENGE AND THE BIG ARTS DAY OUT SUCH A SUCCESS!
​
​Linda Bigge - the curator and organiser of the Harcourt's Youth Awards.       
Linda did a great job of organising the art works from the schools and then displaying them so well in the competition area.  Also in the 'Little Theatre' end of the Whangamata Hall where the folios were displayed.
A huge thank you Linda for working away on your own to organise this we all really appreciate what you did.

The sponsors - Harcourts, New World, Liquor King and The Lion Foundation.  Then the entrants to the Harcourt's Arts Challenge and the stall holders who helped make the exhibition such a colourful event.  The girls in the Pop Up Cafe - Margie Lucas and Janine Hill.  The same Margie and Janine plus Sue Jamieson for organising the food for the Wine and Cheese. Carole Shepheard the judge.  Kate Jones Madill our Patron. Terry Walker for once again giving freely of his time to help with various things including being the MC for the prize giving and being our licenced Bar Manager, Baz Ross & John Blomeley   Barmen. Ngaire Leighton and Nikky Seales for putting together the 3 raffles.  Finally all the extra helpers who came in the form of Dave and Helen Socich (collection and return of the carpeted stands from Pukekohe), David Collett the electrician who made our new lighting setup - he came and helped Malcolm Burt (Maree's husband) put the lighting together. Then kind husbands who helped set up and take down stands tables etc etc.  Finally the great Committee we have - only 6 of us but we all work well together and have our own talents to help make these events a joy to take part in and view.

Thank you all once again for a great show.

Best regards,
Committee 
Arts Collective Whangamata

Open Studios 2018

EASTER - OPEN STUDIOS
WAS HELD ON SATURDAY MARCH 31st and SUNDAY APRIL 1st 2018

Studios and Hubs were open for people to visit between 10 and 4pm each day
Thanks to The Little Gallery, Harcourts and Coastal Design 

Big Arts Day Out Jan 5th & 6th 2018

​The “Big Arts Day Out” was held at the Memorial Hall, Port Road, Whangamata on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th January, 2018 in conjunction with the Arts Collective/Harcourts Challenge & Harcourts Youth Award.

This was preceded by a Preview Wine and Cheese Evening on Thursday January 4th, 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Tickets were $10 each and were available at the Harcourts Coromandel Beaches, Port Rd, Whangamata office. 
Picture
 Wanted Artists and Easels!
For this Special event to celebrate the reopening of Blackies cafe
Saturday 24 September 2016, 9am - 2pm.

It's a Parisienne style French Market: art and music and French style goodies and coffee from Blackies.
Wear your beret or garlic string and bring your art and easels to display and sell.  We would love a vibrant colourful input from the Arts Collective.
Conditions:
 - Visual art only on this occasion, please book with Lynne 021487098 .
 - To be a paid-up member - new members welcome
 - Artists are responsible for own setup and sales. Blackies can offer Cash out facility.
 - Set up at 8.30am. Provide own easels or table.
 - Space is available in the newly concreted area to left and in front of Blackies. Check with Lynne, Michelle, or other Arts Collective person, on arrival.
 - Event is weather dependent; Sunday is rain check day.

Wear your beret or garlic string and bring your art and easels to display and sell. We would love a vibrant colourful input from the Arts Collective.  Please note that your artwork that you display is of your choice - it doesn't need to be Paris or French  themed.

For more details please contact Lynne Robinson on 021487098 or email Lynne