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Scholarship winner
Emily Boswell with her
artwork at the Mercury
Bay Area School.
“The ninth annual Mercury Bay Art Escape
Open Studio Tours was again a great success,”
says administrator Marion Manson. And the 36
artists happily reported that visitors tended to
stay longer with a high level of engagement.
Artists who were not able to open their studios
this year also got more exposure at local
galleries such as Tairua’s Little Gallery of
Fine Arts, Whitianga’s Bread & Butter Gallery
(showcasing Michael Smither’s new works)
and Mosaic Gallery. A special exhibit was also
arranged for several artists at the Mercury Bay
Estate Vineyard overlooking Cook’s Beach.
The popular two weekend self-guided tour
kicked off with the sold out ‘Taste of the Tour’
showcase exhibition at Hot Waves Café,
featuring painter/sculptor Matt Gauldie as guest
speaker. His workshop on portraiture Monday,
March 8, had a “full house of 24 registrants”.
(Photos from the MBAE’s FB page also show
A
s the flurry of the summer season faded away,
artists beavered away producing artworks of varied
genre to present to eager art-lovers from all over the
peninsula and further afield. Months of
opportunities
centred not just in galleries, but artists hosting visitors in
their studios,
halls and even pop-up tents!
Three major
events
led the lineup: The two weekend
Mercury Bay Art Escape Open Studio Tours was held In
early March (see below). Easter break offered the week-
long Colville Arts Festival, which was jam-packed with
concerts, dances, art workshops, and exhibitions in their
renovated Town Hall. Then the first two weekends in April,
Coromandel Town hosted its tenth ArtsTour.
Matt visiting many of the tour’s open studios.)
Artists attending the opening evening voted for
their favourite piece which was then awarded
the coveted ‘Artists’ Choice Award’; this year it
was a tie between Martinus Sarangapany and
Julie Whyman (see above).
At the end of the month long exhibit, the votes
of café visitors were tallied for the ‘People’s
Choice Award’. The winner was painter Ginney
Deavoll (see above) with Sarangapany and
Whyman placing second and third.
MBAE SHOWCASES STUDENTS’ WORK
The Senior Visual Art Students of Mercury Bay
Area School displayed their art at the school
this year as guest exhibitors in the Open Studio
Tour. Their exhibit proved very popular – visitors
enjoyed chatting with both teachers and
student artists.
“This initiative includes a scholarship programme
EXPER I ENCE ARTS
on t he
COROMANDE L !
The Mercury Bay Art Escape (below) kicked off the arts
lineup, followed by the Colville Arts Festival over Easter week
and then the two weekend Coromandel ArtsTour in April.
The peninsula has long been known for attracting creative
sorts, but now, as a true mecca, is drawing some of the finest
NZ and international artists. So no surprise when renowned
Earthscape artist Andres Amador arrived on the scene to
produce masterful mandalas on our beaches (see p8-15).
All this produces a dynamic synergy – for organisations, local
businesses (especially those providing accommodation, food
and visitor attractions), and of course, the artists. There are
many ways to be part of the Coromandel Arts Scene. Plunge
in! See the pages following for what’s
coming up...
The Little
Gallery’s Art Auction in July, Paeroa’s Winter Arts Wander
and MBAE’s Arts and Crafts Fair, both in August, and fine art
exhibits at Bread & Butter Gallery September thru November.
that gives encouragement and support to our
young emerging artists,” said Trust Chairman
Stuart Christie. This year’s scholarship was
awarded to Emily Boswell above.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Year ten of the MBAE Open Studio Tours
will be held 4 & 5 and 11 & 12 March 2017.
“This event is a major inspiration to get artists
producing artwork”, states Mario. They start
accepting applications in July.
ART
Scene
“Home Away
from Home”
-MS
“The Colour
of Dreams”
-JW
Martinus Sarangapany,
Ginney Deavoll and
Julie Whyman
Check out that cute face peeping through the
blackboard at right! All ages participated in the action
and fun of the 2016 Colville Arts Festival.
Mercury Bay Art Escape
Annual tour honours
‘Artist & People’s Choice’
Award Winners
ART LOVERS FLOCK TO ARTISTS’ OPEN STUDIOS
36
COROMANDEL LIFE 2016 LATE AUTUMN / WINTER
“Coastal
Flight”
-GD