Despite heading south, artist keeps Wairarapa ties

Masterton artist Jim Campbell is packing up and moving south after more than 30 years in the region but he has one last show to do before he goes.

Mr Campbell has been a wheelchair user since his early 20s, when a rugby tackle left him with a spinal injury.

It was then he started painting watercolours as a form of expression and to relax, and reckons he's painted "most things around the Wairarapa".

"I get new ideas all the time," he said.

Mr Campbell ran art gallery Colours for Art for the past 10 years, and also sold art supplies.

He also had a go at trying to teach people how to paint, but found this more difficult.

"If you're not going to do the hard yards, it's not worth it," Mr Campbell said.

He enjoys painting scenery around Wairarapa, especially Castlepoint and the Tararua Range. He said many people would come into the shop when there was snow on the ranges, asking for a painting.

He said those are things he would miss about the region when he moves to Blenheim for family reasons.

"The Tararuas are wonderful and the coast is amazing, too," he said. His most memorable exhibition was a challenge he set to celebrate his 60th birthday last year, 60 paintings in 60 days.

Although it was a small gathering of family and friends, he said it went "pretty well".

"I still had a day left at the end of it," he said. "I can paint watercolours pretty quick because they flow so well."

Mr Campbell's final Wairarapa exhibition comprises work he's done over the years; "some of it's old but some of it's new".

The exhibition will be held from Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm at the Old Post Office building. He plans to send paintings back to Wairarapa for future exhibitions.