Max Sutherland's display last year was his first after taking up art again.
Pic 2: BTG010321TA2 Caption: Linda Satchwell's cast glass was eye-catching in the light in 2020.
By Dave Murdoch
Once again in March, the space beneath the Public Stand at the Woodville Race Course will be transformed into a spectacular art gallery as the Woodville Art and History Group hosts the sixth Tararua Art Exhibition.
Last year there was a record number of more than 250 entries drawn from the Tararua and wider Manawatū and this year even more are expected as at least a dozen new artists to the exhibition will display for the first time.
With expert advice from Richard Arlidge, creator of Aratoi and Iris Kauffeld of the Odlin Gallery last year's display was superb, allowing the amazing art to be displayed to its ultimate perfection and this year the exhibition will be even better.
Instead of a Czech artist in residence this year, two emerging artists have been invited to display their work: sculptor Timothy White from Pahiatua and Retro Radio creator Alistair Ramsay from Dannevirke.
Tim says "I have been producing Ōamaru stone sculptures for about 14 years. This will be my first exhibition and am very excited to show a sample of my work.
"I am a career police officer and grew up in Upper Hutt, before spending time in my early twenties travelling around the country. I meet my wife in Nelson and we moved back to Upper Hutt, where I first discovered carving in 2007.
"I am self-taught and rely on hand tools to work as I find it a much more personal experience. Since that time, I have been involved most years in the annual Stone Works symposium held in Upper Hutt over 10 days every January. This is where I first picked up the stone and was instantly hooked.
"My sculptures have evolved over the years from initially a very classical architectural style. More recently I have been exploring shapes and aspects found in nature. I have always enjoyed bringing different techniques and materials into the works. In recent years I have experimented in bringing movement and tension into what would otherwise be static displays."
When Alistair Ramsay developed a method of installing bluetooth into old valve radios he saw an opportunity to combine his love of art and interest in old radios into a business.
Approaching the Tararua Business Hub he was encouraged to enter into the Innovate Competition in 2015 and made the finals, which launched his business, Retro Radios.
Since then he has developed his operation, visiting vintage markets like Beach Hop and Art Deco displaying his products and gaining strong interest.
Today two-thirds of his business is fulfilling customer orders, taking a radio, upgrading its technology and refurbishing it so that it is restored to its former glory without affecting its historic and artistic character.
Alistair says he will have some of his most colourful creations on display at the Tararua Art Exhibition where. He says he will have some big consoles and "a few quirky experiments" to intrigue viewers.
Of course, there will be a huge variety of art on display ranging from detailed landscape paintings to portraits with striking sculptures of glass, wood and stone, spectacular photographs and a wide variety of local books ranging from pictorial to historical and children's, all for sale.
Special will be the 30th Anniversary Book "Tararua District Through the Lens of Our People".
The exhibition has free entry and runs from March 6-14 from 10am-4pm. Much of the art and all of the books are for sale and Eftpos is available.