News Tuesday, April 8, 2014
www.guardianonline.co.nz
Ashburton Guardian 7
■ ASHBURTON SOCIETY OF ARTS ANNUAL EXHIBITION
End of an era for Society of Arts By SuSan SandyS
susan.s@theguardian.co.nz
Ashburton Society of Arts’ 50th annual exhibition opening at the Ashburton Art Gallery last night marked the end of an era. It was the last time the society would hold its art calendar highlight in the gallery at its current location, and the exhibition will also be the last held there for the gallery. When the art works are packed away in four weeks’ time, the gallery will be shutting up shop to prepare for its move to its new site on West Street. “It’s quite sad but then we do have the new gallery to look forward to, it’s going to be a beautiful exhibiting space,” said society president Pauline Mead after presenting an array of awards to the winning artists. About 200 people attended the
award ceremony, and many more are expected to mill through the gallery over the next four weeks to both view and purchase works, which have been submitted by artists from throughout New Zealand. Mrs Mead said there had been about 2000 visitors at last year’s exhibition, but with the exhibition running an extra week this year, “I think we will make a record”. The society presented a cheque to the new gallery committee for $5000, which was accepted by Bernard Davidson, to go towards the reception area in the new building which is nearing completion on West Street. “I’m actually very humbled to receive that cheque, I think your 50 years of history is such an achievement,” Mr Davidson said.
Bernard Davidson accepts a $5000 cheque for the reception area of the new art gallery, from Ashburton Society of Arts president Pauline Mead. Photo tetsuro MitoMo 070414-tM-104
Julie has passion for painting By SuSan SandyS
susan.s@theguardian.co.nz
Artist Julie Madden with her winning work Flax. Photo tetsuro MitoMo 070414-tM-113
Ashburton’s Julie Madden is well known as a school receptionist, but was last night recognised for achievements in her lesser known career of painting. The grandmum of four received the $1000 Rosebank Village Local Award for her canvas collage work named Flax, at the Ashburton Society of Arts 50th annual exhibition. She said she was “absolutely blown away” to receive the award, but had had a lucky feeling earlier in the night before it was announced when she looked up the catalogue and saw her work had been given the number 173. “The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Seven and
three have always been my lucky numbers,” Mrs Madden said. The Aoraki Polytechnic art diploma graduate said art fulfilled a spiritual need for her, and this work in particular symbolised growth and renewal. It was created by painting canvas pieces and cutting and stitching them and other shapes onto a main canvas. “I have always probably had a need to create, it just uses a different side of the brain, it really balances your life,” she said. She had mainly worked at Ashburton Intermediate School full-time as a receptionist, but was now undertaking just three days per week which gave her more time to dedicate to her art.
2014 WINNERS
Lillies on centre stage By SuSan SandyS
susan.s@theguardian.co.nz
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Art Awards Ashburton Trust Premier Award $2000 - Beverley Frost, Lillies. Trustpower Water and Nature Award $1500 – Val Bojé, Mt Haast, Ledenfield Peak & Mt Tasman. Heartland Bank Merit Award $500 – Cheryl Irwin, Dance of Gladness. Rothbury Insurance Brokers, Ashburton, Merit Award $500 – Libby Baxter, Journey. Rocco Promotional Printing 50th Anniversary Merit Award $400 – John Achten, New Day. Ashburton Forest and Bird and Jac Sparks New Zealand Flora and Fauna Art Award $300 – Tessa Watson, Do Not Feed the Kea No. 1. Kath von Tunzelmann Memorial Watercolour Award $200 - Ben Woollcombe, The Road to Mesopotamia. Bryce Gallery Art2Die4 Award $250 - Sang Kyu Moon, Sovereign. Rosebank Village Local Award $1000 - Julie Madden, Flax. Redmonds Furnishing and Flooring Local Merit
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Award $500 voucher Tonee Hurley, Moody Moment.
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Miniature Award Todds of Ashburton Award $250 voucher – Eva McEnroe, Untitled 1.
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Applied Art and Craft and Photography Awards ACL Award $300 - Estelle Jarvis, Colours of the Rainbow. Gordon Harris Merit Award $250 voucher – Colin Hunt, Face Off. Unique Jewellery Local Award $250 voucher - Peter MacGregor, Rain on the Can. Frame-Co Local Merit Award $200 voucher - Margaret Trolove, Finding Time.
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Judge’s Commendation Certificates Sally Hope, Still Life. Paul Smith, Fragments in Time #4. Andrea Moonlight, Forever Aotearoa, New Zealand. Richard Bolton, The University Cycles.
It has been either all or nothing for Christchurch artist Beverly Frost (above) as she has exhibited at the Ashburton Society of Arts exhibition regularly over the last 15 years. Last night she won the major Ashburton Trust $2000 Premier Award for her work Lillies, the first time she has ever won any of the prizes at the event. “It’s really humbling especially on a special evening on the 50th. I’m absolutely delighted, I’m quite shocked,” Mrs Frost said. The mum of two adult sons established the Art Box gallery in Papanui after the Canterbury
earthquakes, taking in artists who had lost their exhibiting spaces in the city. It continues strongly today with about 40 artists. Mrs Frost sells her work in galleries around the country and has previously won awards for her work in Christchurch. Exhibition judge Neil Roberts, a Christchurch art valuer, told the audience that Mrs Frost’s acrylic on stretched canvas work was “very worthy” of the top prize. He described it as having a simplicity and harmony. It was “easy to look at, but it’s very commanding on the wall”. The standard of the works at the exhibition was “incredibly high”.