New art exhibitions open

Paul Burgham's lamp Fern.Two new exhibitions open at Percy Thomson Gallery this Friday, March 31, and run to the end of April.

Two new exhibitions open at Percy Thomson Gallery this Friday, March 31, and run to the end of April.

Connections 2017 comprises five female Taranaki artists who explore the pathways through which their art has taken them, connecting them in a common thread of artistic exploration - Dorothy Andrews, Viv Davy, Jenny Bielawski, Antonia O'Mahony and Juliet Chell.

This is the fifth anniversary of the group. Although some members have come and gone the original core of artists remains.

You are always treated to work that engages, provokes and entertains.
Of her work, Dorothy Andrews says she hopes distorted plants and animals and lack of perspective and composition will leave the viewer just slightly uncomfortable.

Antonia O'Mahony works mainly in etching and drawing but lately she has been experimenting with media she has only touched on in the past.

Knitting has played a big role in Jenny Bielawski's life. Stitch patterns fascinate her and in this this exhibition she concentrates on actual stitches to represent trees for the work White Forest.

Viv Davy's current body of work reflects the disruption to the world of people with current global political climates while also reflecting the collapse of the natural world under the pressures of climate change. Viv's symbolic making explores these changes and their interconnectedness through reflective observations.

Juliet Chell is a multi-disciplinary artist, working across sculpture, drawing, painting and printmaking. Her work is informed by cultural and social issues, including information technology and the influence it has on our lives.

The second exhibition is Illumination and features work by Eltham glass artist Paul Burgham.

Paul's love of nature is reflected in his work.

Bright yellow kowhai, paua, fern, flax and volcanoes feature in his lamps.

Paul attributes this love of nature to his mother's teachings and the later influence of Art Nouveau, Art Deco and the Arts and Crafts Movement.

The exhibition has eight of Paul's contemporary lamps on show, impressive and imposing works, each of which has taken hours of work to complete.

Paul's passion for stained glass windows which lead to lamps has kept him occupied for the last 17 years.

"I average two stained glass lights per year. It is a lengthy process by the time you design, break the glass, soak the wood, make bases."

The design and construction of lamps has to fit around Paul's other work, which includes commissions, repair jobs and working a few hours a week in the woodwork department at Stratford High.

Recently Paul finished an impressive commission for the design, fabrication and installation of new stained-glass windows for the Mary Phelan chapel at New Plymouth Sacred Heart Girls' College. It took one and a half years to complete from conception stage.

He also worked on and laid mosaic tiles (4000 in two weeks) for the murals in the Eltham public toilets.

Both exhibitions open on Friday, March 31 at 7pm. All welcome.