Artistic talent spans generations in exhibition at Cooks Gallery

Judy Webby with her father Charles Thaxter's tapestry and her painting of the O'Leary farm. Photo/Bevan Conley.

Artists Licence is the name of the current exhibition showing at Cooks Gallery in Trafalgar Pl.

The works on show are paintings, tapestries and pencil drawings created by members of Wanganui Arts Society and their families.

"Some are works that were done by parents, aunts and uncles or children," said curator Judy Webby.

"There are some families who have three generations of artists' work on show."

There are works by three members of the Ginn family - the late Ellinore and her daughters Joanna and Diana.

"Ellinore was a very notable painter and she received a Queens Service Medal for art," said Webby.

Webby's father - Charles Thaxter - was a painter and also did tapestry.

His tapestry of Anne Hathaway's Cottage is on show alongside Webby's painting of the O'Leary farm.

"Some of the artists are deceased or some are works by member's children who are overseas, so the name of the exhibition is about us using licence to display their work on their behalf," said Webby.

Cooks Gallery is open on Saturdays from 10am to 3pm, Mondays and Tuesdays 10am to12pm.