Artist Kate Fitzharris wants to see a few of your favourite things

Artist Kate Fitzharris wants to collect stories and images for her library project. Photo/Lewis Gardner

Kate Fitzharris wants to see your favourite things and she is asking Whanganui people to bring them to the library.

Fitzharris, a ceramicist from Dunedin, is the artist in residence at Tylee Cottage in Whanganui and she wants to compile a "library of things" based on ceramic objects that are significant in people's daily lives.

After seeing and hearing the stories associated with the objects, she will then make her own ceramic works in response to what she has learned and this will form a visual diary.

The objects can include all sorts of things; cups, plates, vases, functional items, figurines and contemporary art.

"It is a way to connect with the Whanganui community and find objects that are part of people's culture and history."

Fitzharris will be at the Central Davis Library on Wednesday from 3pm-5pm and at Gonville Library on Tuesday, April 10 from 10am-noon.

People can drop in with their ceramic items and share their stories with the artist who will photograph the items and ask the owner to fill out some details.

If some objects are too fragile or too large to transport, owners can supply a photograph of their treasure.

"The work that I produce won't necessarily look like the supplied item," says Fitzharris.

"It will be a response to it and may have more to do with the story behind it."

Participants will be able to track the later stages of the project with the artist spending Wednesdays and Thursdays at Sarjeant on the Quay from early May until late June from 1.30pm-4.30pm.

Visitors will be able to see some of the objects she has made so far and learn how the "library of things" is growing.

Fitzharris says the work will navigate the lines between fiction and non-fiction and the resulting exhibition will take place late this year or early 2019.

The artist will also be giving an illustrated talk about her past and current work at Sarjeant on the Quay, May 1 at 7.30pm.