Kāpiti octogenarian's first art exhibition

Tolla Williment at her own art exhibition.

A Raumati South woman, who is the spritely age of 88, has her first solo art exhibition on display.

Tolla Williment, a self taught artist, has six landscape paintings on view in the Ōtaki Library exhibition space.

Family friend Inanga Rose, who is an art teacher, visited the Williment household recently and was moved by one of Tolla's paintings hanging on son Rick Williment's wall.

"There was an exceptional bit of paintwork going on.

"Rick suggested I talk to her about it, so I did, and in the process of speaking with her we hatched a plan for her to have her first ever solo exhibition."

They took some of her artwork to Art Scape, in Otaki, where Tolla has booked in to exhibit next year, then they popped into the Otaki Library to check out the exhibiting space.

The library was happy to display some of Tolla's artworks which has led to her first exhibition.

"It was wonderful to be invited.

"I had to finish some and I had to start one or two from scratch.

"So I had to work quite hard over a short period of time."

A painting by Tolla Williment.

Inanga noted, "By all accounts she took to her caravan studio and didn't emerge till 3am many nights."

Seeing her artwork in an exhibition space was special for Tolla.

"I was thrilled.

"It is such an excellent venue for exhibiting.

"It has overhead lighting which concentrates the light on the paintings as well natural light.

"There is a very nice background too."

The exhibition, which finishes on Sunday, June 3, has been impressing viewers.

She's had two offers on one painting, Cliffs at Rangitikei, and a family member has bought another painting.

"I'm very thrilled with that."

Tolla, a self taught artist, said painting was her main hobby.

"I have a studio and can work quite quickly from pastels to heavy applications of paint, bearing in mind the effect of light, colour co-ordination, texture and so on.

"There is quite a lot to think about when one is painting."

Tolla estimates she has been painting for about 20 years "in a fairly random manner, belonging to various societies including the Kapiti Arts and Crafts Society, which I find great because painting can be quite solitary.

"It's very nice to have companionship and the encouragement of other artists.

"That's the part I really enjoy."

Tolla is about to begin preparing for her next exhibition at Art Scape.

"I think I will need in the vicinity of 20 paintings."