River City Artists on the benefits of painting and what they hope to get out of Vintage Weekend

River City Artists members Robert Pech, Val Donkervoort, Dora Baker, Sue Cleeve and Sandie Howard. Photo / Bevan Conley

In white-walled rooms next to the Whanganui river a group of painters get ready for their big weekend.

“I can’t wait to get my brushes out and paint. I paint every day,” Val Donkervoort says.

She’s on the committee for the River City Artists, who will be in the Community Arts Centre during Vintage Weekend offering up their work for sale and promoting the benefits of their group.

Donkervoort and fellow artists Sandie Howard and Dora Baker say they do it for a variety of reasons: To paint is a passion, it’s inspiring and they make friends.

“It lowers your stress,” Donkervoort adds.

“Have a go, come and have a go,” Baker says.

They get together to paint all day on Thursdays and hanging on the walls of the rooms inside the centre are paintings of a variety of objects, places and people.

There’s one of a farm building with a rural backdrop, one of a ‘hot pink’ peony and another of an underwater scene with colourful plants.

The group go on trips to get inspiration for their work and they’ve been to places like Levin, Palmerston North and Hunterville recently.

“By going on a trip together you get to know everyone,” Donkervoort said.

“You become mates.”

One recent newcomer is Robert Pech who said he joined to rekindle something he loved as a kid.

“When I retired and came back from overseas I really wanted an outlet to develop my abilities, such as they were.”

He calls his early work ‘primitive’ and ‘naive’.

“The group is really good for developing talent because there’s a lot of gentle critiquing and very ardent support.”