Buzz next month at The Arts Village as winter exhibitions open

A Sashiko work by Hiroe Howell. Photo / Supplied

The first week of July at The Arts Village is a buzz of opening events as it welcomes two new exhibitions to its spaces.

Its galleries will open the exhibitions Changing Landscapes by glass artist Heather Kremen of Amokura Glass, and Meet by Chance by Paul and Hiroe Howell.

July's artists bring their respective cultures and international flair to The Arts Village's galleries.

Glass artist Heather Kremen creates patterns inspired from weaving, reflecting her upbringing as a weaver and global traditions of textile making, drawing from native American, Turkish, and Māori cultural practices.

In Changing Landscapes she combines these textile patterns with representations of the New Zealand landscape to express her experience as an immigrant, planting roots in a new land while nurturing ties to her past.

Heather is also the winner of last year's Museum Awards for her entry, Protected in the Night .

The community is invited to her artist talks on Saturday, July 10.

Changing Landscapes will open on Friday, July 2, at 5.30pm. It is free to attend, and is free to view until July 24.

A work by Heather Kremen. Photo / Supplied

This exhibition is supported with funding by Creative Communities Scheme Rotorua.

In celebration of their 15th anniversary and the Seasons of Japanese Festivals, husband and wife Paul and Hiroe Howell, artists and masters of taiko drumming, will showcase the exhibition Meet by Chance.

This show will have three parts - arts and crafts, photos, and poems; sashiko works by Hiroe, a traditional Japanese embroidery pattern; and photo archives of 15 years of Rotorua RACCO local event performances and Tanabata, Japanese Star Celebration events.

This exhibition will open on Saturday, July 3, at 12.30pm with a mini-concert and a shared lunch.

This event is open to everyone to enjoy and watch. There will also be Tanabata festival activities, so this is a great event for whānau.

This exhibition and event is supported by Rotorua Civic Arts Trust and the Rotorua Multicultural Council.

The Arts Village activities co-ordinator Georgia Francis says, "We are so pleased to host these talented artists at the Village".

"The mix of mediums and cultural influences in both exhibitions will bring such unique artwork to the galleries, and I can't wait to see what conversations they might start with our visitors."

The Arts Village is looking forward to opening these shows this winter season. Its opening hours are Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 3.30pm, and Saturday, 10am to 2pm.