Political message in south Auckland mum’s works

Political message in south Auckland mum’s works as artist-in-resident at Auckland’s Artworks

A south Auckland mum has been named an artist in residence for the annual Artworks exhibition event on Princes Wharf in Auckland starting August 25.

At least 900 works by more than 250 New Zealand artists will be on display in the annual exhibition at the Hilton Hotel with proceeds going to the Mazda Foundation, Canteen, South Auckland Health Foundation – Kids First and Rotary Projects.
Variety – The Children’s Charity.

Students from New Zealand’s fine art schools will exhibit works which will compete in a prize pool of $17,500.

Artworks was launched in 2002 and since then has delivered over a $1,000,000 to artists and $600,000 to organisations focussed on developing and assisting children.

Fulltime Clark’s Beach painter Parsons was invited by organisers to be an artist-in-residence at the event which closes August 30.

``I have entered the Artworks before but this is a great boost to my career. I feel honoured to be given a residency,’’ Parsons said today. ``I am married with four children and still paint on the kitchen table. I’d love to have my own arts studio.’’

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to watch Parsons paint and talk to her about what she does best.

`Her piece at Artworks will be about public apathy toward keeping the Plunket service around. For many mothers and parents the Plunket Society's help and advice is invaluable and to lose a service such as this through lack of interest and lack of funding would be shameful.

``I feel very grateful towards Plunket for the wonderful support and help they gave me throughout my children's younger years. I am also tying in the plight of the kiwi into this painting. Both things are precious to NZ and they need to be looked if they are to be around in the future.

``I will also work on one of my puzzle pieces which highlight the dangers to native birds in a contemporary way. I am exhibiting one of these pieces in Artworks - titled Endangered - and is about the takahe and the good old little NZ bach.’’

Parsons’ paintings will feature in a solo exhibition at the Blue Orange Gallery in Tuakau later this year. Her works have sought to highlight conservation issues regarding New Zealand’s endangered native birds and also social problems facing society today.

``Development and progress is important in all areas of life - today's society gets caught up within the "I Want it and I want it now" scenario. Fast food, quick fixes, virtual realities, the need to have more, bigger, better means success,’’ she says.

``Life is so fast paced; we are bombarded from all angles by consumerist greed. The simple things are getting left behind or forgotten. Eating healthily, exercising, enjoying our beautiful scenery, nurturing our children, relaxing - smelling the roses. The important things in life all too often get pushed to the bottom of the "to do" list and can become "too hard" because we are “too busy” being successful.’’
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