Art Transplant– Exhibition of Wairarapa’s Art Trail Artists

Art Transplant – An exhibition of Wairarapa’s Mainartery Art Trail artists

Expressions Arts & Entertainment Centre
29 October – 27 November 2011

Sixteen Wairarapa artists are bringing their work across the Rimutakas for a new exhibition called Art Transplant at Expressions. They all belong to the MainARTery open studio route, a network of artist studios running along State Highway 2 from Greytown to Eketahuna.

Artisan furniture maker Jeremy Bicknell, whose studio is in rural Carterton, came up with the idea of the ‘Art Transplant’ as a play on the group’s red heart logo. “We are passing our work over the hill, to share our passion with the people of the Hutt,” says Carterton painter Jan Eagle, one of the group’s founding members.

Mainartery is the Wairarapa’s sole open studio art trail, established in 2006 as a way for the public to meet practicing artists working in their creative environments. It represents many of the region’s established working artists, including glass artists, sculptors, furniture makers, illustrators, printmakers, painters, jewelers, potters and stained glass artists.

Art Transplant reflects the diversity of work done by the group. Wrought iron artist Niko Thomsen is based in rural Greytown. “For this show, I have been experimenting with the circle theme and a hanging 3D arrangement of ‘rooms’, which brings in ideas about communal, sustainable and harmonious ways of living together.” Niko has created hanging works before, many of which grace New Zealand gardens.

Masterton artist and art teacher Tina-Rae Carter has been working on paintings based on the Fukushima disaster in Japan. “This work shows a shift in personal iconology, but it remains closely linked to the exploration of DNA recycling that has been a recurring theme in my work.”

Richard Hassall makes handmade jewelery, often incorporating Greek and Medieval techniques that cannot be achieved mechanically. “I am fascinated by the alchemy of transforming an ingot of metal into a finished piece, as well as the mythological and talismanic qualities of jewelry.” He works from his home studio in Greytown, with painter and art therapist Janie Nott, who is also a Mainartery artist.

MainARTery is sponsored by Expressions Arts & Entertainment Centre, and Aratoi – Wairarapa Museum of Art & History. www.mainartery.co.nz.

ENDS

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