4 minute read
BLAZING A TRAIL
OVER TWENTY YEARS THE KĀPITI ARTS TRAIL has grown from the simple idea of throwing open the doors of local artists’ studios to what is now a nationally recognised celebration of community, creativity and talent. And as it celebrates its twentieth anniversary, there has never been a better time to pay the coast a visit and find out what it’s all about.
Few of the participants and organisers of the inaugural Kāpiti Arts trail could have dreamed that when they invited the local community to come and see what goes on in local artists’ studios 20 years ago, the event could have grown into what it is today. Held over two consecutive weekends, the Arts Trail not only gives visitors the rare and unique opportunity to ‘go behind the scenes’ and see how artists work in their own – usually very private – creative spaces but also shines a light on local creativity. And it makes for a fantastic excuse to come and soak up the hospitality of a remarkable part of New Zealand.
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A rare and unique opportunity to ‘go behind the scenes’ and see how artists work in their own – usually very private – creative spaces.
But if few of the originators of the event could have foreseen its success, none of them could have foreseen the circumstances that would surround its twentieth anniversary. At a time when Kiwis are being urged to get out and see the country, it’s timely to remember that our arts sectors need our support just as much as our tourism operators – and visitors who come to experience the Arts Trail also get to enjoy the great cafés and restaurants of the region, some offering special ‘Arts Trail deals’, as well as the drama and beauty of the unique ‘mountains to sea’ coastal environment.
The concept of the Arts Trail remains simple: artists open their doors over two consecutive weekends, offering glimpses into their work spaces, their creative processes and the opportunity to interact and purchase works directly from the artists themselves.
Arts Advisor Rosie Salas says that this year the Trail is particularly focusing on the artists at work in their studios. “We’ve asked them to show something of how they work at particular times,” she says. “This way you get a rare insight into how they create their artworks, and importantly, the stories that lie behind their creation.”
Galleries also take part in the Trail, and there will be several ‘hubs’ bringing together diverse groups of artists in key locations. Kāpiti is home to a large number of artists, many of whom have moved there to draw inspiration from the bush-clad hills, parks and rivers, wide-open beaches, and of course the iconic and mysterious Kāpiti Island. So if you are an art lover, a collector or a budding creative yourself, this is a valuable chance to go beyond and get a first-hand introduction to some established and up and coming artists.
The scope of the Arts Trail is impressive, with virtually all visual art forms represented, from sculpture to painting, ceramics to printmaking, weaving, fabric work, jewellery, and carving, from traditional to cutting edge, soul-soothing to challenging, comfortable to provocative, decorative, awe-inspiring or functional. And because it encompasses studios and workspaces across the Kāpiti District it gives visitors a great chance to not only experience the art, but the very special slice of New Zealand that Kāpiti represents: cafés, restaurants, and boutique accommodation, all served with a dose of classic Kiwi atmosphere.
Kāpiti Coast District Council has proudly managed the event for most of the last two decades and Deputy Mayor and Arts portfolio holder Janet Holborow says the Arts Trail is an important feature of the Kāpiti events calendar. Given the events of 2020, it will be particularly special.
“COVID-19 has had an impact on many in our community and artists are no different. I urge everyone to put the Trail in their diaries, and get along to show their support and see the artists in action,” says Ms Holborrow.
One of those artists is Waikanae Beach jeweller, painter and Arts Trail veteran Diane Connal. She will be opening her studio doors again this year and says this will be the perfect opportunity to both buy and support local, and get a close up look at the creative processes involved in a really wide variety of art forms. Like Councillor Holborow, she says 2020 is an important year for the Arts Trail, a time to mark a milestone but also recognise just where the Arts Trail and the wider creative community now is.
“The Arts Trail has always been a big promotional and sales event, and this year there are not going to be too many other events like it. So a focus on buy local will be big for artists.
“Seeing artists in their studios is also a great way to experience what they do, and we are very lucky here with such a diverse range of artists. I’ve got all my toolsand machinery there so people can see up close how I work,” says Ms Connal.
