Big Wai art sale just got bigger

SALE: Big Wai Art Sale organiser Anna-Marie Kingsley with her Rose and Barbed Wire oil on canvas. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA

Art lovers will be treated to a choice of more than 1000 artworks at one of Wairarapa's biggest art events.

The Big Wai Art Sale, opening today at the Carterton Events Centre as part of the Daffodil Festival weekend, will showcase the work of 95 artists from Wairarapa and beyond.

The sale, now in its eighth year, features sculpture, painting, ceramics and jewellery from both new and established artists.

Organiser Anna-Marie Kingsley said this year's highlights included recycled metal sculptures or "metalmorphoses" by Darryl Grant and paintings by Sandra Wong, Jane Sinclair and David Knowles.

The sale offers affordable art, especially for first-time buyers, with prices ranging from as little as $10 to several thousand dollars, Ms Kingsley said.

"There are really good art bargains and the chance to be inspired if they paint themselves."

Ms Kingsley encouraged prospective buyers to get in early and avoid the Sunday rush.

About $35,000 to $45,000 worth of art is sold at the annual event, with artists paying only a $50 fee per panel, rather than a commission.

Money raised from the sale will go towards more outdoor murals in Carterton, Ms Kingsley said.

The Big Wai Art Sale will open with a gala preview evening starting 5.30pm today. Tickets to the sale are $10 at the door. Sales will continue from 10am to 4pm until Sunday, September 13.