Abundance of creative inspiration for students with Top Art in town

Lisa Ahn from John Paul College's work. Photo / NZQA Top Art 2019

There is creative inspiration available in abundance at the Rotorua Library, with the Top Art exhibition in town.

Top Art is an annual exhibition featuring some of New Zealand's top secondary school Visual Art portfolios, toured by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

Hosted by Rotorua Museum, this showcase of New Zealand's talented youth is currently open to the public at Rotorua Library, Te Aka Mauri (level two), until April 11.

The exhibition is available to view during library opening hours, except when closed by appointment for school groups.

Rotorua Museum events and engagement co-ordinator Tori Williams says Top Art provides motivation and gives students an understanding of what is required to achieve Excellence or Scholarship in Visual Art at NCEA Level 3.

Rotorua Museum events and engagement co-ordinator Tori Williams says having Top Art come to Rotorua each year is great because it gives people a chance see the work talented youth are producing in schools in a variety of mediums.

These mediums include painting, photography, design, sculpture, printmaking.

Rotorua Museum education lead Emma Liley says there are two students from the Rotorua and surrounding area featured in the exhibition who have achieved at that high level.

These are Lisa Ahn from John Paul College in painting and Brayden Tunui from Tarawera High School in photography.

She says it helps people to be proud of our local art students who have done so well and to help other art students realise they can strive and achieve at that level too.

Emma also thanks Te Aka Mauri for allowing the exhibition to be shown in its wonderful venue.

Rotorua Museum education co-ordinator art Rebecca Moore says the exhibition is not only fantastic for the students whose work it features, but also for the teachers who have mentored the students to this level.

She says in Brayden Tunui's work he used his maunga and rivers which were close to Kawerau, which shows students you do not have to go far away to get ideas.

The Rotorua Museum education team is accepting school bookings to view Top Art 2019 on April 1 to 5 and April 8 to 12 between 9am and 3pm.

Contact Kristina.joyce@rotorualc.nz or call (07) 351 7835.

For more information contact Rotorua Museum by calling (07) 351 8055 or email rotorua.museum@rotorualc.nz.

The details
- What: Top Art exhibition
- When: Now until April 11, library opening hours
- Where: Rotorua Library, Te Aka Mauri, Level Two
- Cost: Free