Artist Birgitt Shannon shares with ARTbop a visit to the newly opened gallery of fellow creative Lorraine Browne.
I recently visited the gallery/studio of Katikati artist Lorraine Browne. Lorraine completed a design course and worked in display and advertising for seven years before becoming a full-time artist about nine years ago. She has sold work in Auckland, Tauranga and Katikati which has been her home for the past two years.
The first thing I noticed when I walked into Lorraine’s space is the abundance of bright colours and bold patterns. She describes herself as ‘an Expressionist’. When I asked her where she gets her inspiration she told me ‘I put paint on, look at it for a while and then decide where I want to go with it. I like to see where each canvas will take me and that’s how I paint’.
She calls her latest series of works dribble paintings. About these she said ‘I paint a coloured background, dribble paint on and see what I can see in it’.
When I visited, Lorraine was very busy preparing for the Bay Of Plenty Garden & Art Festival. Her work was displayed at Earth Force, 438 Wright Road, Aongatete which is just south of Katikati.
Gallery On Mulgan, 13 Mulgan Street, Katikati is open Thursday and Fridays or by appointment by calling Lorraine on 07 549 2048.
BIRGITT SHANNON: I was born in Geelong, Australia and moved to Katikati with my husband Gerry in 2013. I started painting at a very young age and in my twenties attended night classes at the Geelong Fine Art School. My art is continually changing, evolving. As I paint the work before me takes on a life of its own and I never know exactly what it’s going to look like when it’s finished. This is the thing about painting that thrills me. I start with a simple idea like pongas and something inside me runs with it.
Since arriving in New Zealand circles have featured in most of my work. For me circles are female, soft and spiritual…they are eternal life and love.
Over the years I have had many solo and group exhibitions and have sold dozens of paintings in Australia and New Zealand. I was lucky enough to be chosen to paint a cow for the Morrinsville Herd of Cows Street Art Project which is standing outside the Morrinsville Museum. I also painted the large planter pots beside the BNZ Bank in Katikati as part of the 2015 NZ Mural Competition and Arts Festival.
I recently sold a painting that is now hanging in a Research Centre at The Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles.
All my work can be found on my website www.artbybirgitt.com or you can follow my facebook page at www.facebook.com/artbybirgittnz
And don’t miss out on other events and performances around the Bay of Plenty…
Charity gig at Totara Street ends November on a high
One of the organisers, veteran musician, DJ, radio host and ARTbop contributor Kingsley Smith says: “I just wanted to let you know about the ROCK FEST 2016”
When: Sat 26th Nov Where: Totara Street Venue, Mount Maunganui
This is a great community rock event. It is a mini rock festival held at one of NZ’s finest live venues. It is a non-profit event where all proceeds are going to the Cancer Society. Even the musicians, promoters, venue directors, are all providing their services for free, with the hope of building the local rock scene up and making this an annual event.
Here are the important internet links…
Tickets: http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/rock-fest-2016/mt-maunganui
facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/168862563562613/
Tickets are only $10, but even if you can’t make it we’d appreciate any sharing or networking you can help us with.mage
FAMILY FUN DAY at the Tauranga Art Gallery 10am to 3pm Saturday 26 NO BOOKINGS REQUIRED. $5. per family + gold coin donation for face painting. Bring your family to enjoy Creation Stations, story telling, an art hunt, and face paintong on this flora-themed fun filled day. Tauranga Art Gallery Cnr of Wharf & Willow Streets, Downtown Tauranga, Phone 07 578 7933 artgallery.org.nz
New Zealand’s top sculptors set to show-off their talent in Rotorua
Artist Rory McDougall working on his sculpture during the 2014 Sculpture Symposium
Wielding chisels, hammers and power tools artists will descend on Rotorua Arts Village Green from Saturday 19 November to transform 25 tonnes of stone and logs into works of art.
Seventeen of New Zealand’s top local and national sculptors have nine days to create pieces of art during the 2016 Sulphur Lakes Sculpture Symposium. The finished pieces of art become part of Rotorua’s Sulphur Lake Sculpture Trail.
Artists can use all styles; traditional, abstract and contemporary. Their artwork must reflect the theme of ‘The Energy Within,’ capturing Rotorua’s unique geothermal and cultural environment.
Council community arts advisor and symposium coordinator, Marc Spijkerbosch, says the sculpture symposium is an exciting event for the city.
“This is a thrilling event for the artists and the wider community Rotorua is very fortunate. There are only a couple of events like this across the country. It’s great for the artists and a rare opportunity for locals and tourists to see sculptures being created.
“These artists are seasoned professionals.It’s mesmerising to watch them cut down, shape and mould these huge blocks and boulders,” he says.
The artists have the choice to create pieces from Oamaru limestone, Taranaki andesite or macrocarpa logs.
“The artists all work in an open space and we encourage locals and visitors to come down to watch the sculptors work and see the artworks take shape.” Mr Spijkerbosch says.
At the end of the nine days, one of the works will be selected for the judges’ award and will become a permanent part of the district’s public art collection. Up to a further four pieces could be selected to enhance the new boulevard in Rotorua’s Kuirau Park.
All the finished sculptures will be installed along the Sulphur Lakes Sculpture Trail in Government Gardens to form The Energy Within Exhibition.The pieces will remain on public display along the trail until the next sculpture symposium in 2018.
The works would also be for sale at prices set by the artists, and any sold from the sculpture trail would be replaced with alternative pieces.
The Sculpture Symposium is on 8.30am to 4.30pm daily from Saturday 19 to Sunday 27 November at the Rotorua Arts Village Green in the Government Gardens.
The Apron: Contemporary artist Richard Orjis has conceived a garden for the summer. Developed specifically for the Baycourt lawn, this project explores our everyday green spaces. It makes referece to our local landscape and the flora that resides on the boundary and how this can change the way we think about the world around us. Tauranga Art Gallery exhibition on the Baycourt lawn until February 2017.
Barry Dabb: an exhibition surveying nearly 20 years of Barry Dabb’s paintings. Since the late 1990’s he has been documenting domestic gardens throughout the South Pacific. Each of theses lush settings contain species that are often not indigenous to their island location reflecting a subtle form of infiltration that has occurred over many years. Tauranga Art Gallery until February 2017.
ART ON THE STRAND
Downtown Tauranga’s outdoor art market November 27th Interested in participating you can get information from greatartdj@gmail.comand take a look at facebook Left Bank Tauranga
TOMEK FRIEDRICH: Art Photographer – Artzentao Photography at the Paeroa Art Gallery until the 26 November 2016.
The Paeroa Arts Centre on the main road through the township is housed in the historic Borough Council Building. Apart from unique changing exhibitions the Gallery displays for sale a variety of creativity by local artists and craftspeople.
Paeroa Arts Centre: open Wedneday to Saturday from 11am to 3pm
P: 07 862 7111 W: paeroasocietyofarts.co.nz
F: facebook.com/paeroasocietyofarts
IN PRAISE OF NIKAU: Botanical Drawings by Christine Hellyar showing at the Miranda Farm Gallery, until 4th December 2016. The drawings by Christine Hellyar of Nikau and various native plants, foliage and flowers are both visually beautiful and evocative of standing in the cover of our New Zealand bush. Review of the opening of the exhibition is coming!
The Miranda Farm Gallery is part of the organic orchard Miranda Farm. There is a small cafe (not open on Monday and Tuesdays (and occasional Wednesdays), organic produce and wonderful onsite produced preserves and chutneys. On the back roads across the Hauraki Plains this is a wonderful day out.
The Miranda Farm Gallery can be found at 1107 Miranda Road, R.D.3 Pokeno 2473 and is open Thursday to Sunday from 10am – 4pm (Other days by appointment).
P: 09 238 2608 W: mirandafarm.co.nz
GALLERY ON MULGAN This is the gallery of Katikati artist Lorraine Browne who describes herself as ‘an Expressionist’. 13 Mulgan Street, Katikati is open Thursday and Fridays or by appointment by calling Lorraine on 07 549 2048.
BIRGITT SHANNON Artist, Katikati An accomplished artist of Australian descent Birgitt has participated in solo and group exhibitions. She is part of the group of artists chosen the now famous Morrinsville Cows – a street art project. Her street art work can also been seen on the large planters outside the Katikati BNZ, part of the 2015 NZ Mural Competition and Arts Festival. Birgitt has sold dozens of paintings in Australia and New Zealand and has recently sold a painting now hanging in a Research Centre at The Museum of Natural History in Los Agneles. Birgitt’s work can be found on her website www.artbybirgitt.com and you can follow her facebook page at www.facebook.com/artbybirgittnz
