Bernie Ross is Host of Art at 129. in Moana Anu Anu Ave, along with a bunch of very creative artists, working in a wide range of media. Photo / Supplied
Bernie Ross is Host of Art at 129. in Moana Anu Anu Ave, along with a bunch of very creative artists, working in a wide range of media. Photo / Supplied
The Whangamata and environs art scene is healthier than it has ever been if the latest event of the Whangamata Art Collective is anything to go by.
This year's Easter Arts Trail will be the biggest yet, with artist hubs for the first time at Whangamata Information Centre, new hubs in Opoutere and Whiritoa, and even at the unusual location of the Whangamata Barber's Shop.
There are 40 artists in the trail, with a huge range of art styles and media including ceramics, sculpture, fibre art, weaving, quilting, carving, printmaking, mixed media, fiction-based oil paintings, funky art mannequins, clay mosaic, garden art, and of course painting and drawing.
Cherry Estcourt will be bringing her cute needle-felted critters to Cre-Art Studio in Hetherington Rd. Photo / Supplied
In previous years the collective's committee encouraged visitors to browse studios by bike, but the event has widened to small settlements beyond Whangamata.
A new artist to the Arts Collective, Anna McLeod, is exhibiting from her studio, The Pottery Shed, at Opoutere, and is really excited at the prospect of welcoming visitors there.
Whiritoa and Opoutere have lovely picnic spots for visitors on the trail who want to make a day of it and the Arts Collective wants to encourage visitors to go from Whiritoa to Opoutere and everywhere in between.
Lynne Robinson says if visitors want to start at the Whangamata Information Centre they can pick up their guide and view works by Joanne Mahoney, Lesley Campbell, Lynne Robinson and Claire Fairweather.
Lesley Campbell, pictured here as Supreme winner of the Harcourts Challenge with her winning work "Tiki", will be at the Whangamata Information Centre Hub for the Easter Open Studio Trail.
Also in the town centre are two new artists exhibiting at the Barber's — Brad the Barber — whose art is described as fantasy based, and Alyshia Wallis, another newcomer who people may know in her other role as catering manager at Whangamata Club.
Jim Carbery is hosting a hub in this year's Easter Trail in Te Pamahue Dr. He paints in what he calls an energetic, "naive" style and also fashions other arty pieces, which will be shown in his courtyard.
Dianne Dudfield is a fibre artist from Waihi Beach. She works on both an eight-shaft floor loom and a 16-shaft compu-dobby loom to create wraps, scarves, home textiles and mohair blankets, in wool, mohair, cotton and silk.
Dianne will be at Artworks Studio Hub in Given Ave during the Easter Open Studio Trail. Jackie Hobbins will host a new gallery hub in Whiritoa, Pohutukawa Gallery. Her painting, Tangaroa's Gift, won second prize in the Harcourts Challenge.
The collective organises four art events throughout the year.
Whangamata barber Brad Kukard believes art must have an edge. Photo / Alison Smith
Chairman Graeme Smith is extremely enthusiastic about the successful events that have attracted newcomers.
"The more artists there are, the more comprehensive the art will be.
"We've already grown the membership 20 per cent this year. Young people with different talents are helping the impetus of the group.
Bernie Ross is Host of Art at 129. in Moana Anu Anu Ave, along with a bunch of very creative artists, working in a wide range of media. Photo / Supplied
The next event will be the midwinter mingle in August that gives artists time to create.
Both Graeme and Lynne are excited to see youngsters among the artists.
"It's great to see our age range is widening to include three younger members — Jasper Pickett and Megan Hannah, who create photographic art, and even younger Matt Howse, who creates sculptures from kauri wood, in his dad Tony's studio," Lynne says.
