Last year, a demo tent was added to the event which allows visitors to interact with the clay, and Moore is continuing to find new artists and features to expand the event.
Whanganui Potters Studio holds an annual Art in the Garden fundraiser with pottery demonstrations and sales. Photo / Chris Moore
Entry to the event is free, but the purchase of a fundraising raffle ticket is encouraged, the top prize being a helicopter ride over Whanganui.
The studio will also be fundraising with raku firings.
Raku is a Japanese style of quickly firing pottery until it’s red-hot, then removing it from the kiln, sitting it on wood chips or other combustible materials and covering it up.
The burning material removes oxygen, which changes how the glaze looks, often in unique and interesting ways.
Whanganui Potters Studio holds an annual Art in the Garden fundraiser with pottery demonstrations, sales and Japanese raku firing. Photo / Olivia Reid
On Wednesday, a group of high school students made kōauau and other Māori wind instruments with this method.
Attendees will be able to purchase a piece of pottery to glaze and fire in the raku style, then take home.
The outdoor art includes outdoor furniture and garden ornaments made by local and other featured artists.
Although the focus of the event is outdoor art, a “diverse range” of art will be available for purchase, including paintings, plants, and “unique and quirky keep-cups”.
Whanganui Potters Studio holds an annual Art in the Garden fundraiser with pottery demonstrations and sales. Photo / Chris Moore
The Whanganui Potters Studio uses the money from this event to continue to fund the operation of the studio.
“This is our main fundraiser for the year, and the profit we get from this is what allows us to offer activities for schools and community groups,” Moore said.
Attendees can also get their hands in some clay through pottery wheel demonstrations and sessions for kids to hand-mould some unique pieces which the studio will fire for free.
Inspired by a young attendee’s creativity last year, Moore is creating an animal wheel which people can spin and get two animals, then create a hybrid clay animal.
“One little girl sat down and started creating combination animals, so she made a cat-whale and a rabbit-slug, and I thought that was so cool,” Moore said.
A small bag of clay can be purchased for $2.
The Art in the Garden event will take place at a new location this year, 15A Caversham Road. Dogs are not welcome.
The event will go ahead, no matter the weather, on November 30 and December 1 from 10am to 4pm.
Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
