"As a raranga artist, harakeke is the medium I use for the majority of my work. Its versatility, ease of use and the connection it provides to our whenua, makes it a pleasure to work with, both in a physical and spiritual sense. The environment in Whangamata; the bush, sea, beach and farmland and their colours, textures, sounds and smells provide inspiration for my work," she says.
Bernadette gained a Maunga Kura Toi - Bachelor of Maori Art Te Wananga o Aotearoa guided by the skilful weaver Rawhinnia Gray.
Local textile artist Jennifer Patterson shares her passion for textile art and design in her first solo exhibition.
Jennifer began her love affair with textiles and design when she attended a meeting of the newly-formed Stratford Village Quilters group in the mid-90s.
Jennifer's twin sister, Jeanette Gillies, was already an established nationally-recognised quilter and it would appear Jennifer definitely had the "gene".
That was the beginning of a long journey that led to her developing her own style and fabric printing process for her bespoke designs.
An invitation to exhibit in Australia is a highlight for the artist, which speaks volumes of how far she has come since the first quilt she stitched together more than 20 years ago.
Jennifer's passion lies with art wall quilts, executed with silk, dyes and "rusted" fabrics. Lots of trial and error has assisted her to come to a recipe that works best.
Leaves are used for her botanical prints on silk and paper, and on other fabric.
Her contemporary works are often embellished with beads, wool and embroidery threads.
Jennifer is also well-known for her beautiful hand-dyed scarves.
All three exhibitions run until Sunday March 21.