Artists reunite for group exhibition

Eleven years after they graduated from art school, 11 artists are reuniting for a group show.

Dust Collections will show at Gallery On Guyton until 8 October. It features work by 11 artists who graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Quay School of the Arts in 2005: Bernadette Ballantyne, Sarah Bartley-Leguizamon, Craig Columb, Joanne Cosford, Sue James, Sarah Matthew, Jo Ockey, Sarah Peck, Frances Sim-Higgins, Jill Stegmann and Angela Tier.

The show has been coordinated by Sarah Matthew, who came up with the idea 10 years after the group graduated.

"It was a bit tricky to organise then because I was living on Raoul Island

Ms Matthew said there were 15 students in total who graduated, but four couldn't make it for the show. The official opening will be held on October 1.

"We're looking forward to the opening because it will be the first time many of us will have seen each other in 11 years," Ms Matthew said.

Five of the group still live in Whanganui. None of them are full-time artists, although many have arts-related "day jobs".

Jill Stegmann said the 2005 group was the last group of students to study at the Quay School of the Arts before it was taken over by UCOL. UCOL no longer offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts qualification; it has been replaced by a Bachelor of Design and Arts.

"We had a fantastic education at the Quay School of the Arts," Ms Stegmann said.

"We had great facilities, lots of visiting artists and amazing tutors - we were very lucky."

The exhibition is made up of a wide variety of styles and mediums, including paintings, drawings, mixed media, sculpture and photography.

Gallery On Guyton is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm.