springfeature
inbloom
October 15, 2014
Mahurangi Matters
21
FEATURE
Awards encourage calligraphy creations Local calligraphy artist Hilary Lewis knows first hand the encouragement the Rodney Arts Exhibition and Awards can give burgeoning creatives. Her latest calligram works, featuring the sunrise and sunset skies over Kawau, will be among 86 works responding to the theme of ‘Colours of Rodney’ on display at old Masonic Hall in Warkworth from October 17 to 19. After finding the time in her retirement to re-ignite an early passion and skill for calligraphy, Hilary entered the exhibition in 2012 with her unique local calligram which uses the shape of words to depict local landscapes. Hilary says selling her work at the exhibition gave her the encouragement to carry on with her calligrams. It has now led to a full-time hobby entering local awards and exhibitions. “I was apprehensive putting myself out there. I didn’t know what the reaction would be because I hadn’t tested the water for it before and I knew I was doing something that people weren’t familiar with, but then it sold,” Hilary says. Hilary is also active with the Kowhai Arts & Crafts Warkworth calligraphy group and has attended workshops in Auckland and Melbourne. She started calligraphy as a child in Ireland and taught it at Mahurangi College night classes in the 1980s. When she started practicing again recently she discovered an interest and skill for intricately arranging calligraphy words to create a shape, without any drawn lines. She currently uses three styles of writing, foundational script, uncial and copperplate. She has sold 15 pieces since entering the first Rodney exhibition and is struggling to keep up to make more.
Lillian Fromont
Kawau group exhibits works Four Mahurangi painters are holding an exhibition this month at the old Masonic Hall in Warkworth from October 24 to 26.
Artist Hilary Lewis creates calligrams, using the shape of words to create images.
“We are so lucky we have these outlets to put our work on display. Once you’ve sold something you want to carry on,” she says. North Rodney Community Arts Council chair Joy Bell says the open entry exhibition and awards give artists an opportunity to showcase their work. “It’s very hard to get into a gallery these days. But art is subjective and we often find what the public likes is different to what the judges award,” Joy says. “It’s also an opportunity for the public to buy some unique local art and support our artists.” Forty artists in North Rodney have entered the awards with a range of disciplines including arts and crafts, painting and photography, mixed media, textile, sculpture and jewellery. This year 25 community members and businesses have become patrons of the art awards and contributed towards the prizes. The exhibition runs from October 17 to 19 from 10am until 4pm.
MORRIS & JAMES handmade pottery
The exhibition will feature about 50 works from Colleen Kangwai, Lillian Fromont, Suzanne Williams and Elena Nikolaeva, who call themselves the Kawau Painters. Suzanne says this will be the first group exhibition for the women, who have been painting together each Friday for many years. “We’ve been working all year towards this exhibition.” Suzanne says. “Three of us live on the beach and a lot of our paintings are inspired by life by the ocean.” Elena is a professional artist and tutor and has taught painting all her adult life, initially at Russian universities and now in NZ. Jenny paints work of local beaches and seabirds, while Colleen paints in a Chinese style with ink on rice paper and silk and has won numerous art awards for her work. The three-day show is open from 10am-3pm.
sale huge
labour weekend
savings
handmade pots vessels art panels sculptural ceramics bowls homeware platters & garden art
24 - 27 October Morris & James Pottery is closed on Thursday 23 October to set up for the annual Labour Weekend Sale Sale starts 9am Friday 24 October and ends 5pm Monday 27 October
online sale runs concurrently
www.morrisandjames.co.nz
Tongue Farm Road Matakana
plenty of parking ~ we deliver to your vehicle face painting kids activities live music spot prizes free tours and demonstrations