Seen at the Lions Book Sale in 2019. It was cancelled last year due to Covid-19.
Pic: BTG070621ARTIST1 Caption: Artist Hans Welling with Pahiatua Lions Club president, Gary Bills.
By Steve Carle
An art auction and annual book sale will be held in Pahiatua at the Town Hall on Saturday, June 12, organised by Pahiatua and Tararua Lions Clubs.
Funds raised will be shared between the two clubs, which will then be given to charities or people in need.
"The club's motto is 'we serve', our Lions Clubs are focussed on their community," said Pahiatua Lions Club president Gary Bills.
"The money stays in the community, which is a great thing. Artwork by Pahiatua artist Hans Welling will be on display for sale in the foyer. A donation will be made to Lions from this.
"Hans will be present to talk to people about his paintings. He is the incoming president for Pahiatua Lions Club for the coming year," he said.
Hans studied photography in The Hague for two years, then studied painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the city. He now has 58 paintings in his studio, which has filled up, restricting room for him to paint.
"I am interested in why a painting works or why it doesn't, it's just like poetry to me. In my opinion, it doesn't matter what a painting depicts, as long as the painting makes sense," he said.
Hans is a published author of six short stories and poetry books and is writing a 250 page book to be published in 2022 - written in Dutch. He has lived in New Zealand for 22 years.
There will be 15 to 20 of Hans' paintings displayed on the day including abstracts and portraits. They will be on open tender - people put down the amount they are prepared to pay and this is displayed. It closes off at the end of the book sale and will be sold if the reserve is met.
"It's a good opportunity to buy artwork that is 100 per cent original," said Gary Bills.
"You're not going to see anything like this - it's very unique. His style is very different, it's bright, it will fill a room - his work is timeless," he said.
OPINION: For a healthy 65-year-old Kiwi, living into their 90s is increasingly probable.