Renata Szarvas (left), Silvia Hurley, Mel Shaw, Jeanette Prier and Sian MacGibbon outside the Community Education office.
PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS
Renata Szarvas (left), Silvia Hurley, Mel Shaw, Jeanette Prier and Sian MacGibbon outside the Community Education office.
PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS
Community Education (CES) is holding its mid-year exhibition from next Monday, July 16 until Saturday, July 21. "The exhibition is the celebration of work of our students," says Community Education manager Sian MacGibbon. "Whether it's art, woodwork, sewing, raranga (flax weaving), drawing, music. We'll have our band playing."
The exhibition andits official opening will be in the Edith Gallery, adjacent to the Community Education office. "We'll cover the walls, we'll have beekeeping exhibited — not bees, obviously." The exhibition showcases the talent of the students and diversity of tutors. The tutors can also exhibit if they wish.
Renata Szarvas is taking a sewing course with tutor Jenny Meade. "It is a skill I always wanted to pick up, and through Jenny's classes, even at my level, which is trying to sew a straight line level, I knew she'd give me enough confidence and support to start from the beginning and work my way through."
Silvia Hurley is also learning sewing. "I was always interesting in sewing and doing something crafty. It's embarrassing because I come from a long line of successful tailors who had shops, catwalks and factories in Germany." Silvia came to Whanganui 18 months ago and took a Community Education class to meet people.
Jeanette Prier is taking an art course. "Last term I did Pen and Ink with Michael Haggie and I did Acrylics with Pauline Allomes." Jeanette has already signed up for Acrylics next term. "I've dabbled over many years and I did a year at the Learning Connexion," she says. "I came back because I hadn't been doing any art and I thought this will inspire me."
"It's fascinating to see what the students produce," says Sian. "The variety of available courses is really great," says Renata. "I hear of people who take one class and keep reading the catalogue. It's amazing how you can up your skill set through CES." "It's an opportunity to try things out," says Jeanette. Even Sian has not been spared the lure of classes. She showed us Wolfit, a cloth dog she has made.
Administrator and tutor Mel Shaw took a raranga course with Juanita Davis. "I loved it! Juanita is an amazing tutor. If she does an advanced class I'd love to. I understood the kaupapa of Community Education, but when I did a course, meeting other people and that fellowship is so powerful — you can't really describe it until you do it. I got what Sian had been saying." Sian expects to see about 25 exhibitors in the show.
