Collectables Seeking New Homes auction result thrills Mahara Gallery

Mahara Gallery’s Collectables Seeking New Homes auction, held at the Gallery on Saturday 9 February, raised more than $33,000 towards the Gallery Redevelopment Project.

Approximately 160 art works were on display from just before Christmas before being auctioned in front of a large crowd at the Gallery on Saturday. More than 2,000 people visited the Gallery in the lead-up to the auction.

Gallery Director, Janet Bayly says she is thrilled with the result.

“It was a great result for months of hard work by our staff and the volunteer auction commitee,” she said.

“A huge thank you to the donors of the artworks, our auctioneer John Mowbray, our many generous buyers, and Look Both Ways band who performed on the night.”

Janet Bayly says that less than 10 percent of the donated works had not been sold by the end of the weekend. The opportunity still exists to buy unsold works and potential buyers should contact the Gallery.

She says the money raised will be used to help redevelop the Gallery to enable it to house and display the Field Collection of 44 works of art and associated documents. Twenty-four of the art works are by Frances Hodgkins, New Zealand’s most celebrated expatriate painter.

In other news, Mahara Gallery is hosting the Waikanae Library and Kāpiti Coast District

Council pop-up in the smaller gallery space from Monday 18 February while the library’s longer term location is resolved and work is in progress on Mahara Place.