Marton artist Kerry Scoones joins Julz Coffey for first-time Whanganui exhibition

Mosaic artist Kerry Scoones is holding a combined exhibition with Julz Coffey at Whanganui Arts Centre this week. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Kerry Scoones is a Marton mosaic artist exhibiting for the first time in Whanganui.

She has joined local artist Julz Coffey for the joint exhibition Coffey & Scoones at the Whanganui Community Art Gallery this week.

"I've been doing mosaics for about 16 years and I had never thought about exhibiting my work until Julz suggested it.

"I started doing mosaic because I'm a gardener and garden art tends to be expensive so I decided to make my own."

Self-taught, Scoones now produces a range of one and three-dimensional works and has recently acquired a new cutting tool which allows her to make precise cuts and to slice through objects such as teacups and incorporate them into her pieces.

"I'm a member of the Marton arts and crafts group and we have regular mosaic sessions there.

"I tend to see the potential for mosaic in all kinds of everyday objects and I really enjoy a good challenge."

Three-dimensional works provide exciting new frontiers for mosaic artist. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Coffey, who works with a wide range of media has incredible talents for turning abandoned and unloved objects into things of beauty.

Her Kitty to Tiki series in this exhibition are painted on wooden saw handles she acquired in a junk shop.

"I took them home and looked at them for a while and noticed their cat-like shape.

"I thought about Dick Frizzell's work Mickey to Tiki and my work is loosely based on that."

The exhibition also includes a range of Coffey's small three-dimensional figures fashioned from found and rescued objects who all have names and short stories attached.

A painted portrait section includes a series of oil on board works and minimalist multimedia works.

"The multimedia portraits are a new thing for me," says Coffey.

"I try to be very restrained with these works."

Coffey is putting together works for her next combined exhibition with Pauline Allomes at her Barrack St cottage during Whanganui Heritage Month which begins in August.

Coffey & Scoones is showing at Whanganui Community Arts Centre, 19 Taupo Quay from 10am to 4pm daily and 10am to 1pm on Saturday.