Family talents shine at Whanganui exhibition

First-time exhibitor Leuka with grandmother Julz Coffey has been a sell-out at Gallery on Guyton. Photo / Bevan Conley

The One Coffey and Two Sugars exhibition at Whanganui's Gallery on Guyton is a family affair.

Julz Coffey, her son Juan, and 17-year-old grandson Leuka have combined their talents to produce a show whose works have almost sold out.

Leuka has always loved art but after an accident left him seriously disabled, he had to learn a new way of making it.

"I started to research how I could get involved in painting again," he says.

"During my time at Burwood Hospital spinal unit in Christchurch, I was introduced to a great New Zealand mouth painter.

"Once I became familiar with the process, I started to fall in love with it."

Visitors to the exhibition have also fallen in love with his efforts because all but one of the paintings had sold within days of the opening.

Gallery visitors snapped up Leuka's first mouth painted works. Photo/Bevan Conley.

Juan's paintings on canvas and framed photo prints were also selling well and Julz' mixed media works had almost all sold as well.

"I like to keep the prices affordable so people who love them can buy them," she said.

"I make them for my pleasure and I love that other people enjoy them."

Julz is arguably Whanganui's premier artist when it comes to transforming abandoned objects into stunning works of art.

There is a series of "picket portraits" in the show as well as charming little figurines with stories to tell.

"I went into a second-hand shop and found all these pickets that someone had trimmed off the top of their fence," says Jules.

"I thought they would be perfect to paint on and I've done a lot those works."

The figurines have their stories pasted onto the wooden plinths they stand on and close inspection reveals that they are made up of eclectic assortments of wood, metal, plastic, glass and fibre pieces.

One Coffey and Two Sugars is open for viewing at Gallery on Guyton, 62 Guyton St from Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm.