Ipipiri Art a boon for Bay of Islands creativity

Bay of Islands artists can thank the economic downturn for bringing them Paihia's first dedicated art gallery in many years.

Ipipiri Art opened on Williams Rd late last month in what was until recently an electrical appliances store.

Run as a charitable trust, the gallery is the brainchild of Jeanie Mobley, who returned home after living in Hawaii for many years and is now the building's property manager.

The gallery was in response to the sluggish economy and the difficulty in finding commercial tenants.

"We were trying to think of a creative way to fill the empty space in the building that would be really good for the town, for the residents and the tourists. There's a lot of artists around but there's been no place for them in Paihia, although it's the gateway for tourists in the Bay of Islands," Ms Mobley said.

The gallery opened its doors on April 22 with an opening celebration scheduled for June 2.

The downstairs gallery will show high-calibre art and is intentionally sparse, so visitors can focus on the works without distraction; another exhibition space upstairs - in premises which have been vacant for the past two years - will be dedicated to art classes, group shows and affordable art.

The first classes, an eight-week painting course run by artist Lena Zankl, start on May 22. Ms Mobley hopes to offer evening art appreciation classes and children's after-school art lessons. Initially, the focus will be on artists from the wider Bay of Islands which could later be broadened to invited artists from elsewhere in New Zealand and even internationally.

The name Ipipiri refers to the string of islands between Russell and Rawhiti in the eastern Bay of Islands.

"I wanted a catchy name, a different name, but also something associated with the Bay of Islands," Ms Mobley said.

The current exhibition features carving and intricately woven feather korowai by Paitangi Ostick of Waitangi, who spent up to 10 months working on each cloak; landscape paintings by Scott McFarlane, now teaching at NorthTec in Kerikeri; prints from 1960s London on loan from the private collection of Paihia photographer Frank Habicht and sculpture by Louise Hansen of Waipapa.

Ipipiri Art is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-4pm. Anyone keen to volunteer can call the gallery on (09) 402-8021.

The gallery's opening celebration from 1-5pm on June 2 will double as the opening of the Winter Celebrations exhibition featuring work by Chris Wilkie, as well as painter Peter Geekie, ceramic artist Bernie Winkels and florist Ivy Wright. The Bay of Islands Painting Group will show their art upstairs.