Capturing the Bay’s beauty

Waste project grants

Tasman District Council (TDC) is looking to support waste minimisation projects across the district and is seeking applications for funding from interested parties.

Grants will be made to support innovative projects, but with the deadline set at 17 March, time is running out for prospective applicants.

As well as helping to fund the reduction of waste, the grants are intended to support community engagement and education, and to encourage people to rethink how they use resources to avoid the creation of waste, to reuse resources, and to recycle or recover materials.

The scheme is intended for large-scale projects, with typical funding of $5,000 or greater per application, and will generally be given as one-off grants to help a group or organisation create an enduring and self-sustaining waste minimisation initiative.

The funding can be used for project set-up and/or running costs; capital costs such as the purchase of tools or equipment; operating costs, including wages; and monitoring and evaluation of the volume of waste diverted from landfill.

Full details of how to apply and a list of conditions can be found on TDC’s website at: https://www.tasman.govt.nz/mycommunity/grants-and-funding/availablegrants-and-funding/waste-minimisationgrants/waste-minimisation-projects-grant/

Charlotte Hird is the first artist in a new initiative for Art Vault. Gallery directors Grant Knowles and Hahna Reed say they are offering up to three opportunities a year, for national and international artists to create rich cultural diversity for the arts of Golden Bay.

Not only does Wellington contemporary realist painter Charlotte Hird fit the criteria, but her work in this exhibition Beauty of the Bay depicts instantly identifiable scenes of Golden Bay itself. The essence of the landscape in en plein air (outdoor) studies and paintings from photographs capture the freshness of light and colour for which this region is renowned. Inclusion of figurative elements in some of her work enhances the realism.

With a science degree in geology, Charlotte visits the Bay twice yearly as logistics manager and cook for Victoria University geology field trips, and paints. Her knowledge of geology is evident in her accurately rendered detail of land and rock formations.

Charlotte worked as a graphic designer for 40 years. She began painting in watercolour 12 years ago, the last four of which she has been a full-time self-employed artist. Her involvement with watercolour painting is evident in her expertise. An elected member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, as well as president of the 130-year-old Wellington Art Club, she exhibits and sells regularly. She is also a member of the committee of Watercolour New Zealand and is editor of their quarterly newsletter. In addition, she teaches watercolour for beginners at Inverlochy Art

School, for Wellington High School Continuing Education classes, and at Wellington Art Club.

Between these various commitments, Charlotte’s personal schedule involves regular travel to Japan in May and October, where she and her husband – fellow artist Dean Cato have a second home. Inspired by the beauty of the natural world, this is rare downtime for Charlotte in a uniquely different environment, to indulge in spring and autumn painting and skiing. Based in Hokkaido, she is also able to offer residency and outdoor painting tours.

Charlotte is showing a selection of 20 framed and 20 unframed watercolours in the Light Room at Art Vault, until 19 March.

Beauty of the Bay, 19 February-19 March, Art Vault, 57 Commercial Street, Tākaka. www.charlotteswebdesign.co.nz

As reported in last week’s account of the Golden Bay Community Board meeting ( GBW, 17/2), Mohua Menzshed is proposing the construction of a multipurpose workshop facility in the corner of the Golden Bay Showgrounds Recreation Reserve, aka the Golden Bay Recreation Park, located at the far end of Park Avenue.

Under the provisions of the Reserves Act 1977, Tasman District Council (TDC) has publicly notified its intention to grant a 30-year lease of around 300 square metres of reserve land for the purpose.

TDC is inviting submissions on the proposal until 4pm on Friday 3 March. Submissions will be considered, and a public hearing held, to inform the decision on whether to proceed with the lease.

Feedback can be submitted online or in hard copy using the form provided by TDC. For more details, including access to the form, go to: https://shape.tasman.govt.nz/ mohua-menzshed-lease-proposal