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COROMANDEL LIFE
LATE SUMMER / EASTER 2017
‘Morning Betsy’
Bread & Butter
Art Exhibition Launches
was featured in two of her exhibit paintings,
was a classic Royal Air NZ DC3, named
Betsy
,
that just happened to be part-owned by Ingrid’s
friends Geoff and Jessica Cooper.
So to add a touch of fantastico, Ingrid and
guests flew into Whitianga for her exhibit
aboard
Betsy,
now based at Ardmore.
Betsy
, The DC3
The DC3, built in 1941, logged wartime
service in the Pacific Theatre. After the Korean
War, the plane was in the fleets of airlines in
the Philippines, New Guinea and Australia,
eventually retiring to an air museum. In
1987, she was purchased by a NZ Warbird
group and refurbished.
“There were four return flights to Whitianga in
Betsy
for Ingrid’s exhibit”, notes gallery owner
Christine Rabarts, “with one later in the month
for locals to have an opportunity to fly around
the area. The show and these flights proved very
VOGUE-STYLE ARTIST INGRID BOOT LANDS ’‘FILM NOIR’ VIA NOSTALGIC RESTORED DC3
successful, where everyone seemed delighted to
fly on one of only two DC3 planes left in NZ.”
The flight from Auckland takes only 20 minutes
and, at only $125 return trip for the day, was a
great way to get to Whitianga, enjoy the gallery
exhibit, have a leisurely lunch, and browse the
shops before flying back to Ardmore by 5pm.
“We intend to continue to help keep
Betsy
in the
air and support the mainly voluntary DC3 crew”,
says Christine. “We look forward to a closer
relationship with this great team of aviation
enthusiasts. Check the link on our new website
for upcoming ‘Betsy Flights’. The next one
confirmed will be the 4th of March to our group
showing,
Season’s End 2017
.”
This exhibit runs through 18 March – a
collaboration of works by
Bread & Butter
artists Michael D. Smither, Ingrid Boot,
Jacqueline Elley, Brad Novak and Souzie
Speerstra. Meet some of the artists between
11am to 1pm 4 March, opening day.
Ingrid Boot’s “En Vogue” Delivered by DC3
Many of Ingrid Boot’s past works have a high
fashion flair, but with the models poised like
slender dolls, perhaps on tea cups. However,
for her “En Vogue” solo show, which closed 24
Dec, all works were inspired by vintage
Vogue
magazine covers and their powerful mysterious
models, real women facing the world alone,
confident, and fashion perfect.
Ingrid explains that the paintings included
realistic details such as precise thread lines. And
the model she decided to use for all the pieces
was none other than burlesque performer Leda
Petit. “She exudes classic beauty, confidence
and poise and fits the role of ‘Vintage
Vogue
’
model to perfection,” Ingrid says.
“Not only did I require a model of the human
kind – but also one of the aviation kind too.”
The actual aircraft she used as a model, and
ARTISTS EXHIBITIONS
– PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
BRAD NOVAK
- REAL LIFE
COLLIDES
WITH POP LIFE
As work progressed
to install prints for
pop artist Brad
Novak’s show,
“Beauty of the
Beast”, the inspiration
for one of his
recurring images – Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia
– suddenly passed away. He admitted he was
heartbroken, as Carrie Fisher was his first crush.
Brad immediately created an alteration to the
Leia work,
Digital Tear
(with the printed circuit
motif turning into a tear) while also honouring
David Bowie and Muhammad Ali – all sporting
her iconic hairdo.
Brad’s new works for
his current exhibition,
“Beauty of the Beast},
which runs through
4th Feb, are selling
fast. Here, Brad
shifts to a ‘softer’
subject, wild animals,
set against printed
circuits and images of
icons legends such as
Queen Elizabeth on
Lagomorph 1.5.
JENNIE DE GROOT
- BLURRED LINES
21 January through 23 February
This emerging oil painter includes
plein air
(in
the outdoors) as part of her painting process,
with work then finished at her studio.
Jennie is interested in the abstract within the
image and focuses on being inventive with
her application of materials. Much of her art is
visually based in the realities of a landscape,
and even if the strokes are broad or slashing
or dripping, one can make out – or rather
experience – the power of the wind pushing
the clouds, the jagged line of the mountain
range, the reflection of a stream cutting
through paddocks, the drippy heaviness of the
weeping Wisteria.
Jennie De Groot’s
Treasure Island.
GINNEy DEAVOll
-
FEATHERS
11 Feb through 12 March
Ginney has always taken ‘nature’ seriously.
Kayaking extensively along NZ’s shorelines,
she learned the shapes, colours, lines, and
twined relationships between all the elements.
This acrylic on canvas was inspired by
Ginney’s latest kayak adventure around Great
Barrier Island, showcasing its highly regarded
birdlife. The interplay of patterns is a favourite
style shown in her work, here layering textural
rows of feathers like the shingles of a cottage.
Meet the artist at the 11 Feb. launch, midday.