Hawke's Bay arts groups offer plenty: drawing, felting, flax weaving

Children having fun painting, with Hawke's Bay arts groups offering plenty to do.

The summer holidays provide a time for reflection, so resolve to expand your art interests and explore creativity during 2018. There is a huge community of groups who cater to a wide range of arts and crafts and it may be helpful to start with Art Hawke's Bay's list of club options on their website (below).

Beginning the year with school holiday art classes for children at CAN, MTG and HCAG. These community and public art galleries have a year-round programme of affordable workshops for children and adults, artist talks, events and exciting new exhibitions.

Check out their websites or Facebook pages and register for their regular newsletters and updates.

While guided workshops are great for creating your own one-off artwork, as all artists will tell you, it is the regular practice that really establishes the skills that were taught at the workshop.

This is where the clubs and groups that meet regularly will offer longer-term benefits not only in learning technique but with the added bonus of meeting with like-minded people willing to share knowledge and expand friendships.

While the groups cater for beginners, all will have a mix of very experienced members who offer support to those new to a medium and who can remember what it was like to be a beginner.

Keirunga Artists in Havelock North have been a great source of artistic tuition for decades. They offer regular club days in several painting media and printmaking with beginner workshops and masterclasses with highly regarded artists.

Likewise the Waiohiki Arts Village has a wonderful arts community on State Highway 50 by the golf course, serving beginning artists with regular club days in drawing, pounamu carving, felting, flax weaving, pottery. They schedule workshops and courses and provide studio accommodation to practising artists.

At the club level, the Hastings Art Group meet one morning a month for a speaker and a Saturday club day of workshops and trips, and informs "what's on" in the arts scene and with a sub of $10 a year, $5 a day 10am-3pm, it is exceptionally good value.

Napier Arts Club meets in Vigor Brown St with club days, short courses and workshops and a gallery space for exhibitions.

Humanity Artists meet upstairs at Humanity Books in Karamu Rd and is led by the doyenne of painting tuition in the Bay, Helen Kerridge. Her knowledge and skills are hugely respected by the loyal band of artists who meet weekly, many of whom could be totally independent artists but continue to attend for the fellowship that comes from many years of working together. No website but contact Helen on 06 845 3438.

Otane Art group has groups gathering to work on personal projects together, often artists with diverse art or craft interests, sounds like a social and creative mix.

Waipukurau Combined Arts and Crafts Inc at Coughlan Rd offer quilting, embroidery, felting and pottery. No website but contacts are Joy Reid 06 858 9540 and Helen Morrah 06 858 8895.

For those seeking small group or one-on-one tuition with an artist it is worth taking a look through the Hawke's Bay Art Guide and contact the artists specialising in a medium you admire, some offer teaching and others may be willing to take on a private student. Go for it.

Websites

Art Hawke's Bay www.arthawkesbay.co.nz
Creative Arts Napier www.thecan.co.nz
MTG Hawke's Bay www.mtghawkesbay.com
HCAG www.hastingscityartgallery.co.nz
Art Hawkes Bay www.arthawkesbay.co.nz
Keirunga Artists www.keirungaartists.org.nz
Waiohiki Arts Village www.waiohikiartsvillage.com
Napier Arts Club www.facebook.com/napierartclub
Hawkes Bay Art Guide www.hawkesbayartguide.co.nz