Northland artists dish up feast on Great Plates

Evan Heasman's offering in last year's exhibition. Photo/Supplied

Northland artists are again making a visual feast out of the humble dinner plate, with plenty of delightful creations due to be served up in the Quarry Arts Centre's annual Great Plate exhibition.

Each year up to 100 artists are invited to work their creative magic on a hand-thrown ceramic plate, a hand-turned wooden plate or hand-cast or blown glass plate.

These transformed plates are then shown in an exhibition in the Yvonne Rust Gallery and auctioned on TradeMe.co.nz, with funds going to support the Quarry Arts Centre.

There are no limitations or rules around what can be done with the plate, which makes this event a little unpredictable and very exciting, the art centre's manager Ali Goodman says.

Chuck Joseph's sardine flavoured serving from last year's Great Plate event.

''The plates are coming in thick and fast with couriers all around the country handling precious packages to be delivered here at the Quarry Arts Centre.

''The support from some very collectible and serious artists has been humbling."

As in previous years, artists have morphed the humble Great Plate into pieces of sculpture, paintings, mobiles and even spaceships.

"We love the huge variety within the Great Plate exhibition, we feel so privileged to be supported by our community in this unique, creative way," Ms Goodman said.

While the Great Plate works as a fundraiser, it has the added bonus of exposure for participating artists and also the potential for the public to snap up a unique artwork.

Great Plates can be viewed in Yvonne Rust Gallery, at the Quarry Arts Centre, from July 13 to 25.

All 100 pieces will be listed on TradeMe.co.nz from July 13, with the auction running for one week and generally ending in a bidding frenzy until the end date, July 20.

This year the funds raised will go directly into the kiln facilities at the Quarry, giving a greater range of firing opportunities for the community.

The Quarry hopes to install a gas fired kiln, with staff seeing it as a nice match - having handmade ceramic plates helping to raise funds to improve a community ceramic workspace and facilities.