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WAIKINO MEMORIAL ART WALL
COMMEMORATES 1981 OHINEMURI FLOOD
Winter Poppies by Val Tubman
TAIRUA’S
Little Gallery expands
to Auckland location
The Little Gallery in Tairua has expanded,
but not on the Coromandel. The wine flowed,
and the crowded gallery was a-clatter with
chatter at the gala opening in September at
the bustling and vibrant Victoria Park Market
complex, near Auckland city centre.
At right, Gallery owner Sarah Holden is joined
by her mum, well known Tairua artist Paula
McNeill, in a toast to the new ‘Little Gallery’.
The Auckland Gallery will operate as a co-op,
just as it does in Tairua. Owner Sarah Holden
explains, “We wanted to give our talented
artists a much wider exposure beyond the
peninsula, and this trendy big city location will
do that!”
Be sure to visit next time you are in the area
– Shop 30, Victoria Park Market, 210 Victoria
Street West, Auckland. The Little Gallery in
Tairua is at 228 Main Road.
Whitianga’s Bread & Butter Gallery hosts its
second major art exhibition in its new upstairs
showrooms with an entirely new collection of
paintings by artist Souzie Speerstra – Once
Upon a Rainbow. It opens 22nd October with
a preview event at 10am, followed by a talk at
12 midday.
Though a renown and successful NZ artist,
Souzie and partner Lance have dedicated
much of the last 8 years creatively developing
their Hahei farm – avocado orchard, gardens,
chooks, sheep and their dog. Though
buildings and house are now finished, they
have even more plans. “It’s a completed and
constant never ending list of dreams in the
making”, Souzie says, “at a beautiful world in
the country.”
Through the long years of the ‘busyness’ of
country living, Souzie never lost sight of her
former profession and passion. Not one to shy
from challenges, Souzie realised, “It was time
for me to swing back into my studio, and pick
up my pallet knife again.”
Souzie took on the challenge months ago and
made a commitment to her exhibition .“She
has indeed succeeded,” says gallery owner
Christine Rabarts. “Souzie’s paintings are
outstanding, bold and full of life and vibrancy!”
The show runs through 16th November in the
gallery at 26 Albert Street. See
FB and our
calendar on page 42 for upcoming exhibitions.
ART Waikino 2016
set for Labour Weekend
The Coromandel’s eagerly awaited Labour
Weekend art exhibition at Waikino will feature
over 350 entries. What started out in year 2000
as a way for the Victoria Hall Committee to raise
funds for the repair of the community hall, has
now become a well established art exhibition in
the Hauraki/Coromandel region.
The exhibition is divided into five categories:
paintings, craft, photography (people),
photography (other) and sculpture (which will be
on display under the trees at The Falls Retreat
by the Owharoa Falls). Waikino School pupils will
show their artwork in the hall’s foyer.
Guest artists this year will be award-winning
Coromandel painter, Barbara Von Seida, national
mosaic art winner Con Kiernan, photographers
Finn Thomas and Cathy Franzoi, and sculptor
Mathew Sayer.
The exhibition will be held in the Victoria Hall,
Waikino on SH2 in the Karangahake Gorge on
Saturday to Monday, October 22-24. Hours are
10am – 4pm and entry is a gold coin donation.
After six years of planning the Waikino Memorial
Art Wall was unveiled by Hauraki District Mayor,
John Tregidga and project managers, Con
Kiernan and Simone Warn on Saturday, June 18.
Although the weather was not too kind. a small
crowd gathered to hear Waikino Memorial
Bridge and Art Wall chairperson, Diane Kiernan
thank all those that helped bring this major
project to fruition.
The memorial art wall is a reminder of Waikino’s
history and a memorial to those who lost
property in the 1981 flood. Where the art wall
is located on SH2 was the vibrant village of
Waikino, with shops, a café, a post office and
dwellings. The 1981 flood changed Waikino
forever and council deemed it a flood zone so
no more buildings were allowed to be built.
The artists involved all had a connection with
Waikino and were commissioned to create
a panel depicting each era of Waikino using
materials that could withstand being out in the
elements. The Ohinemuri River can be seen
running through each panel.
Wellington mosaic artist, Michael Coles depicted
primordial New Zealand. Waihi artist Trevor
Heighway carved the pre-European history
in Hinuera stone. Waitawheta sculptor Irene
Wilcock’s panel shows the mining era with
the Victoria Battery. Waikino’s Christine Burne
created the colourful hippy era panel. Paeroa
potter and conservationist Mike O’Donnell’s
panel is of the raging flood water, and a
collaboration between mosaic artist Con Kiernan
and singer/songwriter Shona Laing finishes
the series featuring stainless steel words from
her song “The River,” originally written for the
opening of the memorial bridge.
Mining relics were supplied by the Department
of Conservation and award winning landscape
designer Trish Waugh designed the garden.
ARTscene
A Colourist by Nature