Tauranga breast cancer survivor celebrates new passion with pottery exhibition

Robyne Dowdall is displaying her pottery work at an exhibition at the Back Studio on November 25. Photo / Mead Norton

Robyne Dowdall stopped leaving the house after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 64-year-old Tauranga woman says she became "very introverted" and "over-vigilant" about Covid-19 after her diagnosis.

"I wouldn't even go as far as the letterbox initially."

Dowdall eventually found a new passion that helped her regain the confidence and strength to rejoin society - making pottery.

She is displaying her work at a free exhibition at the Back Studio on November 25.

"We are exhibiting in a completely unique style. Instead of the public walking around the gallery looking at the pieces - we are moving the art around the people," she said.

Robyne Dowdall is displaying her pottery work at an exhibition at the Back Studio on November 25. Photo / Mead Norton

Dowdall was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in August last year when a "small" but "aggressive" cancer was picked up by a mammogram.

She had surgery two and a half weeks later, followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

After her diagnosis, she became afraid of leaving the house.

"I actually literally lay on my couch and looked at the clouds for the summer. That's basically how I coped with all of that."

Dowdall said her husband, daughters and friends were "fantastic".

"They cooked, they cleaned, they did everything else. I just had to survive ...

"I'm just so blessed to have been in Tauranga and to have received the care from every angle that I have received."

The 64-year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Photo / Mead Norton

Eventually, Dowdall started to chat with friends, one of whom was doing pottery at a studio in Pahoia.

When she was feeling more healthy and energetic, she went to the studio.

"And there I met these women and we just clicked."

Dowdall said the "camaraderie" and her new hobby helped to gain the strength physically and mentally to "enter back into the public".

"A passion has awoken within me, setting me on a path of much-loved art in the form of pottery.

"From there we just blossomed, supporting each other and this exhibition is a result of that."

Dowdall said the exhibition - Smudge and Mud - was free and family-friendly.

"This is something we're doing for the public of Tauranga ... It's going to be two hours of something they haven't experienced before."

Sophie Evans (left), Jacki Barklie and Robyne Dowdall are hosting the Smudge and Mud exhibition. Photo / Mead Norton

Back Studio owner Jacki Barklie said the exhibition was "a wonderful collaboration of mixed media".

"Free local artists of Tauranga have got together and they're deciding to respond to each other's art. So there's two ceramists and one visual artist and it's going to be a show but with a lot of movement. It's not just a still exhibition."

"Because this art studio is so big, it lends itself to putting [on] more extravagant shows."

The exhibition is at 6pm on November 25 at the Back Studio.