Artist duo Rosie Parsonson and Richard Darbyshire with MD Gallery curator Megan Dickinson are heading to the Auckland Art Fair next month representing Northland. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Artist duo Rosie Parsonson and Richard Darbyshire with MD Gallery curator Megan Dickinson are heading to the Auckland Art Fair next month representing Northland. Photo / Michael Cunningham
A working collaboration stemming back to art school days has culminated in a Northland art gallery creating history as the first from the region to exhibit in the Auckland Art Fair.
Whangārei's MD Gallery, founded and run by Megan Dickinson, has been accepted into the prestigious Auckland Art Fair laterthis month – the first gallery in Northland to do so. The event showcases art by more than 150 artists exhibited by over 40 of the best galleries of the wider Pacific Rim region.
MD Gallery will exhibit work by Rosie Parsonson and Richard Darbyshire - aka Rosy & Rich - a Whangārei-based duo specialising in the traditional mediums of ceramics, painting and sculpture.
Megan met the pair at Northtec in her beginning year while they were in their final, and has been exhibiting their work at her gallery since it opened in 2017.
"I'm super-excited to be representing Rosy & Rich at the Auckland Art Fair. We have built up a great working relationship over the years which stems back to when we were studying together at Northtec in 2011.
"I was in my first year of the Bachelor of Applied Arts degree and they were in their final year so I've had my eye on them for a long time now. They have such a strong work ethic and I am a huge fan of their aesthetic."
The couple have been working collaboratively for 13 years. While Darbyshire moulds and sculpts their creations through wheel throwing and hand building techniques in clay, Parsonson graphically etches and paints to give each creative piece life with her engraved lines and infused colours.
Darbyshire said they are excited for their art to be shown on the world stage.
"We've been visiting the Auckland Art Fair since it started and now to be showing our work there is really cool. We've been working pretty much 24/7 over the past few months creating the work and it's not over yet! We'll be working to the wire, but that's the norm in this profession – that's how it rolls."
Said Parsonson: "We are really excited to see it all come together in February. This is definitely a milestone for us. The ultimate will be seeing our work in such a professional environment surrounded by some of the best artists and galleries from Aotearoa.
Rosie & Rich have built a strong creative relationship over the years with Megan. Photo / Michael Cunningham
"It feels like a huge privilege to be taking part in the Auckland Art Fair with Megan Dickinson representing us. It's the ultimate destination for our work."
Dickinson said it's the duo's deep collaboration which gives them the edge.
"The whole way through, they have conversations about what they do. I've known them a long time and watched their progression as artists.
"It's been a long relationship we've had together which is the basis of all gallery relationships to be based on trust and integrity and passion for art so we're kind of like the perfect combination.
"This is a huge deal for Northland and it's a big step forward for recognising Northland art. There is a vast breadth of creativity and artistic ability in Northland and I am overjoyed to showcase this to a wider audience.
"We operate as a little gallery on a big mission and this is an opportunity for two of our exceptionally talented Northland artists to take the international art world by storm.
"I'm not just representing Rosy & Rich and MD Gallery - I'm taking all the support and encouragement from the arts community with me to a national arts event. I feel a great sense of responsibility to make Whangārei proud of what we are doing."
The Auckland Art Fair will be held in Auckland at The Cloud from February 24-28. Co-director Hayley White said there would only be a handful of international artists this year who had shipped their work to New Zealand and this had opened the doors for more Kiwi artists.
The gallery has created a Givealittle page to help raise funds to cover the cost of attending the Fair, including booth fees, storage, insurance, freight (transport) and accommodation. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/the-little-gallery-on-a-big-mission
