Starting Point looking good for Whanganui Open Studios

Artists Open Studios event manager Kelly Scarrow and trust chairman Ross Fallen survey the works on display for the for the Starting Point Exhibition 2018. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui Artists Open Studios 2018 is about to begin with the opening of the Starting Point exhibition.

The launch event, which opens at Whanganui Arts at the Centre on Taupo Quay Friday night, features a wide selection of work by participating artists.

Ross Fallen, in his second year as chairman of the Whanganui Artists Open Studio Trust, and Kelly Scarrow, who is managing the event for the first time this year, say they are proud of the quality of works on show.

"There are 73 works included," says Mr Fallen.

"It is interesting to see how Whanganui artists are diversifying in terms of scale and materials."

Some artists, known for their large works, have submitted miniature pieces and others have moved in the opposite direction while some have shifted to different mediums.

"They have made quantum leaps in diversity," he said.

The exhibition will provide a taster for out-of-town and local visitors before they embark on the first round of open studio tours this weekend.

Since the first Artists Open Studios was held in Whanganui in 2001, the event has grown to include 82 studios and more than 250 artists this year.

A big part of this year's event is participation by retailers who are partnering with AOS as part of Mainframe by exhibiting artworks in their windows.

"The support from businesses has been fantastic," said Mr Fallen.

"The central city is very much in the frame this year."

Starting Point exhibition curator Esther Topfer was working out the best way to display each artwork so it fitted with the others around it.

"It's important to display things at the right height and make sure they don't obscure other works," she said.

From a sculpture made of cleverly repurposed garden implements by Glen MacMillan to a painting of Waimarino bush by Pauline Allomes, the exhibition shows the breadth of Whanganui talent on show for Artists Open Studios.

Starting Point and Whanganui Artists Open Studios 2018 opens at Arts at the Centre, 19 Taupo Quay on Friday, March 16 at 5.30pm.

Programmes and tickets for AOS are available from Whanganui i-Site.