Percy Thomson Gallery director Laura Campbell and gallery assistant Amy Taunt at the opening of the exhibition.
Percy Thomson Gallery director Laura Campbell and gallery assistant Amy Taunt at the opening of the exhibition.
Percy Thomson Gallery’s current exhibition may focus on small things, but the talent of the artists involved is huge.
Taranaki Review: In Miniature, curated by gallery director Laura Campbell, is on display this month, and Laura describes the exhibition as an art collector’s dream.
“With around 200 artworks on display in the gallery, this is a great excuse to bring the whole family to Stratford these holidays.”
She says Taranaki artists were invited to present pieces smaller than 30 x 30cm.
“They were told to make something small that collectively, hanging together, would make a huge impression on our visitors.”
The exhibition is a new concept for the gallery, inspired by conversations Laura had with people in the community.
“I kept hearing about some artworks being too large, or in some cases just out of reach in price. Art should be accessible in all senses of the word - everyone should be able to visit, view and collect.”
“We wanted to get them to make a tiny artwork encapsulating their artistic style, but also making them highly collectable for people who might not necessarily have the space at home for a big painting or sculpture.”
All of the works were created by both emerging and established artists in the region, and Laura says it was important to her to showcase the local talent.
Five of the artists involved are based in New Plymouth, and as well as being established in the same area, the artists also share a love of the Percy Thomson Gallery.
Joshua Sands' 'Contemplation' with Rohan Wealleans' 'Love Spore'.
Rohan Wealleans, Joshua Sands, Amy Brennan, Kayla Adams and Jennifer Halli are no strangers to the gallery, with each artist having had their work displayed on the gallery’s walls previously.
Rohan, who works with acrylic paints, says supporting the gallery is important to him.
“It’s a community gallery that showcases artists from Taranaki, but also holds national touring exhibitions as well. It’s a beautiful space.”
Rohan entered a piece that has been seen before.
“I submitted my Love Spore for the exhibition. It’s part of a bigger suite of works that showed the development of an alien with culture. It was on display quite a few years ago; it’s like a relic from the past.”
The piece took Rohan about seven months to complete, with the painter adding 70 layers of acrylic paint to the surface before carving out pieces of the layers and sticking them together.
Like Rohan, Joshua’s piece is also part of a series. However, it’s a new addition.
Joshua’s piece Contemplation, a ceramic sculpture, is inspired by a series he started some time ago.
“The series started with a head and bust. Contemplation is a similar concept, except I have taken it in a more figurative direction. I’ve sculpted little figures to create a narrative with ideas.”
Joshua used paper clay to create his piece.
“Paper clay is more forgiving in the kiln and you can do a lot with it. It’s generally a multi-week process that you work on in different stages.”
He always looks forward to exhibiting his work at Percy Thomson Gallery.
“The gallery is always good to work with. They’re there for the whole Taranaki art scene. I remember their Remembering Rodin [exhibition], when they displayed New Zealand’s most significant Rodin sculpture, Eve. I put in a piece to be exhibited with that, which was pretty amazing.”
Amy Brennan's creation 'Snuggle Pot'.
Amy works with ceramics too, but her piece Snuggle Pot also uses the elements of stoneware and glaze.
She says Snuggle Pot was hand-built, and while she was quilling the piece she was unsure what the piece would be, but as it was built up, Snuggle Pot came to life.
“As I was twirling and quilling, the bulbar shape started to happen. I remember the gumnut babies in an Australian story; I had seen the illustrations, so I think the idea was deep in the back of my mind and was the inspiration as to why I made him.”
Snuggle Pot was fired three times in the kiln to get the right colour.
“I knew the exhibition ran over the holidays, so I wanted to create a piece that would make people smile.”
Kayla’s piece Lamed [social justice] focuses on one of the major arcana in a tarot deck.
“For my work, each of the sculptures I make focuses on one of the major arcana. Justice is one of them. I like to think of my creations as a reimagining of tarot cards. The tarot cards change shape in every person’s hands, so I like to think about this, about what the major arcana look like from my perspective.”
Kayla worked with bronze to create the piece, and while they describe it as an intense process, Kayla says it’s also a forgiving one.
“I start with wax and create my entire sculpture out of the wax. Once I have finished that, I coat it in ceramic shells and let it dry out. I repeat this multiple times so it creates a wall. Once I’m happy, I put it in the furnace and burn all the wax away, and then melt some bronze and pour it into the ceramic shell. Once it’s dried, I peel away the ceramic shell and then I polish the bronze piece. It’s a magical process that I’ve fallen in love with.”
Kayla Adams's piece 'Lamed'.
Kayla was pleased Laura asked them to submit a piece.
“Laura is a fantastic curator, and she’s put together a show with fantastic local legends. I was at the open evening for the exhibition. It’s really something you have to see. There’s a whole lot of fantastic artworks.”
Laura also approached Jennifer to submit a piece. Jennifer’s artwork Across Oceans and Continents focuses on how she has moved regularly between New Zealand and the United States.
“I’ve been in New Plymouth for about two years now. I’ve established an art space, Might Could, and since then, the connections I’ve made in the Taranaki art scene have strengthened. It’s nice to be involved in this exhibition, as I’m showcasing my work alongside other Taranaki artists and I can see how many connections I’ve made in my short time here.”
While Jennifer’s background is in ceramics, her work now focuses on printmaking.
“All the materials I used in ceramics I use to make ink. I worked in ceramics for a long time so I have an understanding of the elements, and it’s nice to use them in my printmaking. I mix my own inks using elements from the earth. In this piece, I used black iron sand, palm ash, and used wooden blocks and print blocks as well.”
'Across Continents and Oceans' by Jennifer Halli.
She says the exhibition is fantastic.
“As artists, we’re given the same material, but there’s always a different outcome. It’s a chance to see into the artist’s brain and how it works.”
