A while ago I had the pleasure of exhibiting at the Mikkelsen Gallery in Paeroa with my friend Leigh Basinger. Mikkelsen Gallery is a modern, well-lit gallery owned by artist Wendy Mikkelsen.

Wendy Mikkelsen with one of her paintings

The first thing I noticed the first time I visited the gallery was how welcoming it felt. It was like walking into the room of a modern home filled with gorgeous objects and artwork.

Recently I visited the gallery again and had a chat with Wendy. Here is the video.

MIKKELSEN GALLERY

Address: 40 Belmont Rd, Paeroa Phone Number: 07 862 7887

Open Hours: 9am – 4pm Mon – Fri Closed for lunch 12:30 – 1:30 View by appointment anytime

Website: www.mikkelsengallery.co.nz/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mikkelsen-Gallery

Birgitt Shannon: Video, text and images of Wendy Mikkelsen and the Mikkelsen Gallery Paeroa by Birgitt Shannon. Katikati based artist Birgitt Shannon is a regular contributor to ARTbop. Birgitt is also the principal Event Organiser of the Affordable Art & Artisan Fair at the Black Sheep Whakamarama – a collaborative community not for profit venture by ARTbop and the Black Sheep. Birgitt creates a monthly YouTube interview series with the Fair participants: Art by Birgitt YouTube. On her channel you’ll find images of her work, interviews with local creatives and projects Birgitt has been invited to be involved with. You can also see Birgitt’s work online and at the AAAFair on the last Sunday of every month. Birgitt has her own website at www.artbybirgitt.com

Birgitt Shannon in her summer site at the AAAFair, Black Sheep,Whakamarama!

ARTbop promotes

(or we think you should check this out!)

ARTbop is promoting poetry in the Western Bay of Plenty

NZ NATIONAL POETRY DAY 24TH AUGUST 2018 check out the CREATIVE BAY OF PLENTY WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE POETRY FOCUSED EVENTS IN THE WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY SUB-REGION.

YOU’LL WANT TO VISIT THE OPEN MIC NIGHT AT SOMA organised by Dhaivat Mehta under the banner “Incantations ” You’ll also want to check out Dhaivat’s newest spoken word and music project created in conjunction with local rocker Kingsley Smith – TRYPTOFUNK on YouTube

Tauranga slam poet and alternative spoken word poet Dhaivat Mehta

Established spoken word, slam poet and performance poet Dhaivat Mehta and author, reviewer and poet Marcus Hobson are at the heart of a poetry initiative to give Whakamarama District locals the opportunity to meet and share their spoken words with others. Meeting on the second Thursday of every month at the Black Sheep Whakamarama and providing an evening of entertaining words and thought from 6.00pm to 8.30pm.

alchemy

SPOKEN WORD POETRY

Join us every second Thursday of the month,

6.00pm to 8.30pm

Read your own poems or poems by your favourite poet. Enjoy the power of the spoken word!

Phone: 07 571 8722 021 145 5810

ARTbop Editor, book reviewer, author and persistent reader of poetry, Marcus Hobson at alchemy at the Black Sheep in April 2018

The cover is as amazing as the words: ARTbop Editor, Book Reviewer and alchemy participant Marcus Hobson

GALLERIES

The Historic Village Galleries

We recommend you visit the People’s Gallery, the smaller Incubator Gallery, the newly opened Turner Gallery and the Imprint Gallery to view the current exhibitions. These galleries display an amazing and eclectic range of creativity. Currently showing at the People’s Gallery is an exhibition of the outstanding work of creative fibre artist and raranga weaver Jo Torr, Vahine-Wahine. Weekend Sun arts journalist Rosalie Liddle Crawford has a wonderful and comprehensive interview with Jo you’ll also love reading. https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/186284-jo-torrs-suffrage-125-exhibition.html

One of the exhibitions I’ve seen recently at the People’s Gallery also part of the 125 Suffrage Series is the epitome of wearable art: Aroha Atu Aotearoa – the essence of our wahine The work of Donna Dinsdale. It’s the kind of exhibition that should be kept together and exhibited around New Zealand and overseas.

Talented creative and Toi Ohomai Creative Donna Dinsdale

Also, the Tauranga Art Gallery in its large upstairs gallery area is showing the selected finalists in the 2018 Miles Art Awards. This is a diverse and interesting collection of work. There is a small gallery retail space

The talented 3rd Year Toi Ohomai BCI student, Isaac Crowe winner of the Incubator Emerging Artist Award in the 2018 Miles Awards Isaac also contributed to the Dinsdale work above creating the Aroha Atu Image

Check in with Creative Bay of Plenty opposite in Willow Street to collect one of the updated arts trail brochures for Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and surrounds. A Macandmor production: and check out their newly developed arty email you can subscribe to.

When you are in the Downtown Tauranga area you can visit The Art Lounge on Devonport Road, and Macandmor in the Goddard Centre Arcade. You’ll also want a warming coffee, treat or lunch in one of Downtown Tauranga’s cafes. Enjoy your creative winter in Tauranga Moana and the Bay of Plenty!

THE AFFORDABLE ART & ARTISAN FAIR AT THE BLACK SHEEP WHAKAMARAMA

And don’t forget the next Affordable Art & Artisan Fair is on Sunday 26th August. The Fairs are held within the Black Sheep Cafe & Restaurant complex on the last Sunday of every month (on the 16th in December 2018) 11am to 3pm. There is heaps of parking, clean toilets and wonderful food and coffee. There’s live music. There’s an event prize you can win. If you would like to join us as an exhibitor/retailer of your original creativity or artisan products you can contact us at aaafair17@gmail.com

We are sign posted along SH2 with signage to the turnoff of SH2 and Plummer’s Point Road. You won’t be able to miss us! Here’s just a taste of what you’ll find. We’re indoors over winter months and outside in the Summer! And check out Birgitt Shannon’s video of the July Fair in Coming Up.