She Shed Tour celebrates nine years with new venues and 10 new artists

Some of the new artists at this year's She Shed Tour are, standing (from left): Iris Milner, Holly Hutchinson, Judi Murphy, Sophie McLeod, Em Cathcart and Teressa Matthews. Front are founder Cheryl Scott and tour committee member and artist Margaret Hansen. The group are pictured in front of Murphy's pottery studio at Wainui - one of the new venues in this year's tour.

Artists are working hard and studios and gardens are getting spruced up ahead of next month’s She Shed Tour Gisborne which will feature two new venues and 10 new artists.

New venues are potter Judi Murphy’s garden and studio in Wainui and Sandra Parker’s she shed at Makorori.

New artists are Justine Hawksworth (painting and prints), Emily Cathcart (prints), Iris Milne (one-off bags made from new and recycled fabrics, dyed and hand-painted), Holly Hutchinson (photography), Sophie McLeod (pottery), Teressa Matthew (prints), Hikaria Green (silk dying and kete), Susanna Lawrence (weaving) and Nina Buscke (ceramic wall hangings).

This extends the already wide offering of more than 30 artists who show their arts and crafts on the tour.

It is the ninth year of She Shed, which has become a highlight on Gisborne’s spring calendar.

“We keep the ticket price low to make the event as accessible as possible,” artist and She Shed Tour committee member Margaret Hansen said.

She Shed Tour founder Cheryl Scott said things had come together beautifully this year.

The She Shed Tour, first held in 2016, celebrates creative women and their spaces with ticket sales proceeds to a different charity each year.

Wainui Surf Life Saving Club is this year’s recipient.

The studios and gardens on the tour are spread through Wainui, Okitu and Makorori, with coffee and food available.

Free tickets are being given away this week on the She Shed Tour Facebook and Instagram pages, and organisers are set to announce the She Shed annual scholarship winner.

Tickets are available at Stone Studio, Aviary, Retro, Ballance Street Bookshop and Gisborne Farmers’ Market.

The tour is taking place on Sunday, November 10.