ArtsMad is a visual presentation evening which takes place four times a year.
People from the wider arts community talk about what they do alongside a rolling show reel of images. Each speaker has 20 images and six minutes to present them.
Co-organiser Jill Walker says she is always excitedfor the ArtsMad events and they have been going brilliantly at The Monarch Room.
She says ArtsMad is growing in terms of the number of people coming along and the diversity of people saying yes to presenting.
A couple of the speakers in the upcoming event are from out of town, but have affiliations to Rotorua, she says.
The next evening, the last one for 2019, is on Tuesday, 5.30pm to 7.30pm, at The Monarch Room, Prince's Gate Hotel. There will be seven speakers.
Jan Snyman. Photo / Supplied
Jan Snyman's interest in treehouses dates back to his childhood, where he built several tree huts with his brothers in his native, South Africa.
Studies in architecture and engineering led to Jan establishing his own business, offering mechanical design services with a side-line in house design and construction management.
Architecture was put to one side in favour of engineering when he moved to New Zealand 25 years ago, but after buying a Rotorua property with mature trees, the opportunity to design and build another treehouse was too enticing to resist.
At ArtsMad Jan will share his process of building a floating treehouse, from the design stage through to being finished.
His treehouse is two-storey and not fixed to the tree. The bottom floor is about 15sq m with a full kitchen and lounge and balcony, and the upper floor is 4.5sq m with a bedroom.
Jan says he is looking forward to ArtsMad and hopes to inspire other people to follow their dreams.
Gayle Heath. Photo / Supplied
Gayle Heath says she has spent her entire life working with textiles to maintain her sanity while working in the corporate environment as an accountant.
She says right from when she was in high school and when her parents thought she was studying for school cert she was busy making sheepskin "gonks" to sell to fund her first sewing machine.
She is accomplished in all aspects of textiles from weaving, sewing, knitting, spinning, felting, crochet and more, she says.
Gayle is currently working with recycled textiles, and has been making art rugs and children's clothing from recycled textiles that are not able to be sold at charity shops.
She has also been offering classes in making rag rugs.
Katie Hoy. Photo / Supplied
Katie Hoy is a photographer. She began her formal training in Fine Arts & English Literature at Exeter University, followed by several years as a clinical photographer with the NHS, Auckland and Counties Manukau DHB.
She rounded off with a Masters in Creative Writing at Auckland University.
Katie says she has literally photographed every part of the human body inside and out, but it is the less tangible human connection - intimacy and emotions - which continues to drive her work.
She has three children and tries to reconcile the creative life with full-on motherhood, while running a small photography business.
Dr Tāwhanga Nopera. Photo / Supplied
Transformation is a primary intent in the art and research of Dr Tāwhanga Nopera.
Grounded in raranga, Tāwhanga uses his practice to explore ways that creativity can help heal the world, and he does this through performance, digital media, paint, pencil and the written word.
In his kōrero, Tāwhanga will discuss how his art and research is intended toward social change.
Tāwhanga has whakapapa to Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Wāhiao, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Whaoa, Ngāi Tawake and Ngāti Amaru.
Cathy Ward. Photo / Supplied
Cathy Ward is a visual artist who grew up in Christchurch and studied Fine Arts there before travelling and getting side-tracked by other pursuits, although she has always continued to draw and paint.
Work as a newspaper photographer and typographer led to her studying graphic design, and she has worked as a designer for many years.
She arrived in Rotorua about 15 years ago, and over the past few years painting has taken over more and more of her life.
Cathy says she particularly enjoys the challenges of portrait painting.
Ronna Grace Funtelar is a storyteller, creative and poet. Since 2016, she's been living a life beyond her comfort zone and wants to mindfully help others do the same.
After discovering her love of mountains and rock climbing while living in Perú, she now aims to share what she has learned about embracing the unknown and become a life coach in the future.
Megan Dimozantos. Photo / Supplied
Megan Dimozantos says she is not an artist, but is a "fit and able servant of the Earth," here to curate the art of nature and the art of adventure for those who otherwise would not be able to appreciate it.
