Awards celebrate district's artistic diversity

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JULIA WADE

 

7 Nov, 2022

 

An impressive showcase of Kaipara’s finest artistic talent was celebrated recently, as artists, art lovers and supporters came together for the district’s most prominent event in the art community’s calendar.

With a function held in the Bennett’s Cafe courtyard on October 28, the Kaipara Art Awards 2022 is a showcase of 55 unique pieces of sculpture, photography, and painting, and is an annual collaborative event between Mangawhai Artists Inc. [MAI] and the Dargaville Arts Association [DAA].

After welcoming the large gathered crowd, co-organiser MAI chair Belinda Vernon introduced the judges for the awards, two experienced Whangarei artists, Jean Allan an Elam School of Fine Arts graduate, teacher and ‘huge supporter of the arts’, and Megan Corbett, printmaker and co-owner of Whangarei art gallery Hangar Art.

“It is our absolute privilege to judge this exhibition,” Jean says. “We were very impressed with the quality of the work and curation, and really enjoyed being part of it.”

Belinda says the awards were ‘very lucky’ to have the ‘expertise and strong team’ to preside over the artworks.

“I know they have spent more than five hours deliberating over the art and I just want to say a big thank you to both Megan and Jean for taking the time to travel down from Whangarei and for putting careful consideration into your choices.”

Locals will have until November 8 to view the exhibition at the Mangawhai Artists Gallery before being transferred to Dargaville’s Muddy Waters Gallery, where The French Art Shop People's Choice Award will be announced at the conclusion of the exhibition come December.

Belinda says the awards were made possible by a number of financial supporters including local businesses who sponsored the five artistic categories.

“Like to thank all our wonderful sponsors as well as the generous support from Creative Communities Scheme which is administered by Kaipara District Council, and this wonderful venue to host the awards, courtesy of the generosity of Mary Bennett,” she said. “Also want to acknowledge the massive curating job of the awards, with 55 pieces of work received and our little gallery, it was quite a daunting task, so a big thank you to Elena Nikolaeva, along with the ‘hanging team’ and Pauline Mann for the lighting, you’ve all done a fantastic job. We’re very grateful to everyone who made the Kaipara Art Awards 2022 possible.”

n For more details, results and photos of the 2022 Kaipara Arts Awards visit mangawhaiartists.co.nz

 

MAI chair Belinda Vernon, who co-organised the event with DAA deputy chair John Pickworth (who was unable to attend) and the awards’ Whangarei judges [from left] Megan Corbett and Jean Allan.

 

Sponsored by Gordon Harris, the ‘Judge's Award’ went to Clovis Viscoe’s ‘Weather Icon’ sculpture [centre floor].

 

This years ‘Emerging Artist’ was Mark Graham and ‘Fatal Attraction’, sponsored by Creative Northland.

 

Sponsored by Mangawhai Optometrists the ‘2D Other’ was won by Micaela van den Berg for ‘My mother's savage daughter’.

 

 

The French Art Shop sponsored the 2D Painting category with Geoff Ruthe’s ‘Paradisus Terrestris’ taking first place.


 









 

First place for 3D Sculpture, sponsored by Stylish Homes, went to Yvonne Tana for ‘Wahine Toa’ [strong women].

 

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