Thousands of art lovers from far and wide will be flocking to Whaingaroa to get their creative fix at the Raglan Arts Weekend this month (26-28 October).
From painting, illustration, sculpture, glass, ceramics, textile, through to graffiti, taxidermy, jewellery, photography, woodwork, weaving, metalwork and prints, there’s sure to be something for everyone’s tastes.
Here’s a sneaky peek at some of the emerging and established artists taking part.
Loesje De Bree’s images depict the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of human beings, and how she personally perceives them. This way of working stems from her background as an arts therapist, and her attempts to understand humanity and what it means to be human. Loesje’s paintings are mainly acrylics and multimedia. She also creates sculptures using paper, cardboard and recyclables.
Supper Room, Raglan Town Hall, 41 Bow Street
Doug Ford translates what he has seen and where he has been, through his brush – his emotions and feelings about a place are poured onto canvas. Whether it will be a wooden cut-out native bird, a painted driftwood head, a recycled brush head or a stunning painting, you can be sure you are getting a piece of art painted with love, passion and creativity.
Made Gallery, 20 Bow Street
Eleanor Gee paints predominantly out in nature – en plein air, and all the smaller works in her collection were created while immersed in the natural world. You might recognise some favourite peaceful spots around Raglan. Representation of the landscape is, however, secondary to the feeling of being there, and abstractions of colour and form are used to convey emotion.
The Hatch Emerging Artist Exhibition, Raglan Town Hall
Tessa Skerman’s practice involves painting various compositions on board, slicing these paintings up using a bench saw, and then placing these ‘slats’ back into a fragmented, abstract composition. The resulting unique artwork leads the eye on a journey across the scene, composing a new vista corresponding to affinities of form, line, angles and depth.
467B Te Mata Road
Bridget Tasker’s body of work is entitled ‘Out my window’. The pieces are a celebration of Raglan, with a colourful twist, texture and flare. Her art is expressed and created with energy rather than sight. Having lived in Raglan for the last six years, Bridget has had the time to paint, ponder, and explore this wild place.
The Hatch Emerging Artist Exhibition, Raglan Town Hall
Clare Wimmer is a passionate potter who has been teaching pottery in her community for many years, creating works for national exhibitions and selling in local galleries. Her studio, PotwithClare in Waitetuna, provides a supportive and engaging environment for both adults and children to experience the joys of clay. Under Clare’s expert guidance, students are empowered to explore their creativity and achieve success.
33C Waitetuna Valley Road
