Seventy-five artists submit work for 2017 Mahara Arts Review

23 November, 2017

Kate Elder discusses her work at Mahara Gallery floortalk with fellow artist Sara Boland

Seventy–five artists have submitted work for the biennial Mahara Arts Review which opens at Mahara Gallery on Saturday 2 December.

The Review is an open invitation for Kāpiti and Horowhenua artists to submit work from the past year. It showcases the diversity and quality of art being produced within the district.

Gallery Director Janet Bayly says “I have been particularly impressed with the work submitted this year”.  “I’ve also detected a sense of joy and excitement about the event that seems to increase each year”.

The entries have been judged by guest selectors Michel Tuffery and Margriet Windhausen, both renowned New Zealand artists who have exhibited at Mahara Gallery in the last couple of years.

On 2 December, six awards will be presented: the Open Award sponsored by John Mowbray, who will help the guest selectors present the awards and which carries a $1,000 prize, a Highly Commended Award sponsored by Professor Emerita Jean Fleming, the Student Award sponsored by Barry Herbert, a 3D award sponsored by Jane Hyder, a 2D award sponsored by Kāpiti Signs and a Special Merit Award sponsored by Picture Perfect Framing. The works will be exhibited at the Gallery for six weeks and during that time, a seventh, “People’s Choice” can be voted for and that award will be presented on 13 January at 11am by Warwick Halcrow of Kāpiti Coffee Company.

Janet Bayly says the Review is often a platform for artists to establish themselves and help them achieve recognition on a wider stage.

“This is certainly true of the 2015 Open Award winner Kate Elder who has since had her first public gallery solo show at Mahara earlier this year and also exhibited elsewhere”.

Kate Elder has again submitted work and she along with two fellow artists, textile artist Birgit Moffatt and sculptor Graeme Hitchcock will present a floor talk at the Gallery at 3.00 pm on Saturday 9 December on the theme ‘Working local, thinking global’.

The opening event at the Gallery on Saturday at 5 pm is expected to attract a considerable audience. In 2017, the numbers attending were so great the awards ceremony had to be held outside the Gallery in Mahara Place.