Enrich+ creative collective produces artwork for Waipā mayor

Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan (right) hosted Enrich + art tutor Teresa Siemonek (left) and artists (from left) Julie Tate, Kathleen Bayer and Deshan Walallavita for the presentation and hanging of their artwork Tuiana in her office yesterday. Caitlin Thomas also collaborated on the painting, but was unable to attend. Photo / Dean Taylor

Four accomplished Enrich+ artists have been working on a painting which they presented to Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan yesterday.

Susan’s husband John Hayward had the task of hanging the work in pride of place in the mayor’s office, with plenty of advice about how to make sure it was centred and level.

The work is entitled Tuiana and was completed by Deshan Walallavita, Julie Tate, Kathleen Bayer and Caitlin Thomas, who are tutored by Te Awamutu artist Teresa Siemonek.

Teresa is well known for her murals.

She enjoys the freedom that art offers, the quiet therapy of it and the results that come from experimenting with different mediums.

For the past couple of decades, she has been passing on her skills.

She teaches children after school and is running an extensive art tutoring programme for three days a week with the support organisation Enrich+ out of the Rosebank Art Centre.

Deshan Walallavita travels from Hamilton by bus every Monday to attend the centre.

In the 2021 IHC Art Awards he was second for his acrylic painting Friesian Cow.

An art piece The Parrot recently sold in The Creative Conduit/Enrich+ Pop-Up Art Gallery.

Julie Tate is a long-time attendee of Enrich+ and its art centre and loves painting. She has a great eye for detail.

Julie was a semifinalist in the 2022 IHC Art Awards with her Van Gogh artwork and has sold numerous pieces over the years. She gets overjoyed every time this happens.

Kathleen Bayer was a semifinalist in the 2022 IHC Art Awards with Falcon Master, which has just sold in The Creative Conduit/Enrich+ Pop-Up Art Gallery.

Kathleen’s preferred medium would be acrylic paint on canvas. She has also sold numerous art pieces during her time with Enrich+.

In the 2020 IHC Art Awards Caitlin Thomas was a top 100 finalist for her painting of a beach scene, which sold on Trade Me.

Caitlin has become more confident in her artistic ability and her piece Van Gogh’s Interpretation of Starry Night recently sold in The Creative Conduit/Enrich+ Pop Up Art Gallery.

She has also sold numerous art pieces during her time with Enrich+.

Caitlin and Deshan contributed to the design of the Special Olympics National Summer Games logo for 2021.

Caitlin, Deshan and Kathleen are also talented swimmers and all are members of the Special Olympics Te Awamutu Swim Club and were successful at the recent National Summer Games.