Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Annual ‘Great Plate’ Quarry Arts Centre fundraiser features 90 plates

Brodie Stone
By Brodie Stone
Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·
2 Aug, 2023 05:08 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The Great Plate auction at the Quarry Arts Centre for 2023. Gallery Manager, Hannah Mitchell pictured with Pat George's 'Meet Matilda'. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The Great Plate auction at the Quarry Arts Centre for 2023. Gallery Manager, Hannah Mitchell pictured with Pat George's 'Meet Matilda'. Photo / Michael Cunningham

If you’re looking for a snapshot of Tai Tokerau’s artistic talent then look no further than the great plate fundraiser at the Quarry Arts Centre.

It’s hard not to be struck by the bright colours and textures as you walk into the gallery as a range of plates, varying in colour, size, theme and material stare back at you.

But visitors to the Quarry Arts Centre will be met with that very sight starting on Thursday as the annual Great Plate fundraiser starts.

An impressive 90 artists will feature on the walls of the Yvonne Rust Gallery at the Quarry Arts Centre from August 3 until August 13, with two-thirds of the plates being hand-made by the artists themselves, gallery manager Hannah Mitchell said.

“Our artists are from every discipline, gifting their time and artistic energy to the great plate. This year we can expect to see mosaic art, glass, wood, textiles, upcycled as well as more traditional ceramic art.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
A classic kiwi view on this plate, featured at the Great Plate auction at Quarry Arts Centre. Photo / Michael Cunningham
A classic kiwi view on this plate, featured at the Great Plate auction at Quarry Arts Centre. Photo / Michael Cunningham

It’s an opportunity to showcase artistic talent but also the creative freedom of what a plate could or should be, Mitchell said.

Common themes include the ocean but there’s something different to see every year.

The longest-running arts centre in New Zealand has been hosting the event for more than a decade and it’s an ode to those who came before with a vision to bring the arts to Northland.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bidders from across the country are likely to go home with a plate of their own at the end of the auction period - from Hamilton, Wellington, Tauranga and further afield.

Carol Robinson's Box of Birds is one plate that features at the Great Plate auction. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Carol Robinson's Box of Birds is one plate that features at the Great Plate auction. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Just one plate will not be able to be shipped due to its fragility, but even the largest and most complex of plates may be shipped, such as a stand-out piece from Carol Robinson whose ‘box of birds’ is removable.

In the past, she’s created stand-out pieces such as a plate of rats, and another of sheep.

There are long-running artists who have contributed again, including ceramic artist Marilyn Wheeler, Greg Barron of Glenbervie Pottery and Richard Darbyshire.

Mitchell said the action is an opportunity to get involved in an initiative that goes straight back to the Quarry Arts Centre, with proceeds to maintenance, kiln upgrades, buildings and other projects.

The plates are sold through an online auction and will go live today. A grand opening will also feature today from 5 pm at the gallery, with kai from Taimahi Trust.

You can see more about the opening event: www.facebook.com/events/1207472466580392

To place a bid, visit the website: quarryarts.org/events/great-plate/


Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

'More important than ever': Push for money talks to boost financial literacy

Opinion

Opinion: Northland businesses key to regional resilience

Northern Advocate

'Unsettling': Stolen $130k trophy reappears in woman's home nine months later


Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

'More important than ever': Push for money talks to boost financial literacy
Northern Advocate

'More important than ever': Push for money talks to boost financial literacy

A recent report showed only 23% of Kiwis rate their financial knowledge as 'excellent'.

07 Sep 05:00 PM
Opinion: Northland businesses key to regional resilience
Opinion

Opinion: Northland businesses key to regional resilience

07 Sep 04:50 PM
'Unsettling': Stolen $130k trophy reappears in woman's home nine months later
Northern Advocate

'Unsettling': Stolen $130k trophy reappears in woman's home nine months later

07 Sep 05:00 AM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP