Monday, 21 October 2019

Arwen Flowers









"Lady and the Deep Blue Sea" A. Flowers 2019



Arwen Flowers

Arwen Flowers is a New Zealand-born artist, raised in the beautiful ranges, forests, and beaches of the West Coast of Auckland. She completed a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree (BFA) in the early 90’s, specializing in painting and photography at Elam School of Fine Art, Auckland.

Arwen’s recent artwork on canvas utilises a unique mix of media—dressmaking patterns, graphite, charcoal, metallic foil and paint. Through this unique multi-media approach Arwen references landscape and oceanic forms while exploring intersections, crossovers, and parallels between historical and modern European and Pacific Island cultures, often from a feminine perspective.

‘I’m curious about the experience had by indigenous South Pacific women and the wives and daughters that had been brought to settle there from England and Europe, when they met and needed to live along-side each other. How did they feel? What sorts of influence did they have on each other?’ she says.

Arwen sources materials to use in her art from second-hand shops or recycle centres to create small collages on paper as a way of experiencing creative joy and freedom. The collages evolve naturally into combinations of craft and pattern which reflect her historical European ancestry and her place of birth in the South Pacific. Arwen’s larger work on canvas expands upon those initial collages.

Arwen will be based in the Helensville Memorial Hall for the ARTS in the VILLE Labour Weekend )ct 26th-28th 2019.

Sunday, 20 October 2019

Julie Nash -The Rock Dock




Julie Nash –The Rock Dock

The Rock Dock, 42 Mill Road.

Julie Nash collects and sources her own rocks and minerals from around New Zealand and overseas.

“I cut, shape, polish and set these stones into jewelry using a variety of techniques including silver solder, wire wrap, and sterling silver settings. I try to let the stone speak to me to show me how to reveal its beauty.” says Julie.

Her son Tora McKenzie is exploring shapes and creating experimental works in Pounamu, (NZ Nephrite Jade), NZ petrified wood and NZ Jasper in pendants and earrings.

Julie Nash’s partner Tony Cliffe makes hand-coin rings and works in pewter.

Julie’s studio will be open for ARTS in the VILLE Oct 26th and Oct 27th 2019.

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Katie Robinson

Katie Robnson in her studio at 88 Commercial rd Helensville
Katie Robinson is a full time artist from Helensville with an enthusiastic passion for all her projects. She has sold and exhibited works in several galleries nationwide, and her commissioned pieces appear throughout the world. Katie brings her trademark street-grit style into the realms of contemporary accessible art, which sees collectors from all walks of life adding her work to their walls.

A wide range of references to pop culture old and new can frequently be seen in her collection, and her art often finds its way onto t shirts, skateboards, boxes and other found objects. She is the founder and manager of popular artist promotional project at Pink Noise, heartXart (her new project surrounding screen printing and art t shirts) and her personal website 
www.katierobinson.co.nz is a permanent display of her gutsy – sometimes irreverent – artwork.

An open studio / gallery, heartXart is open to the public to come and view her work. It is situated at 88 Commercial Road, Helensville in Auckland. Contact Katie for more details. Currently it is open by appointment only.

Katie Atkins

Artist @ heartXart + Katie Robinson
Stencils n' Screen Printing


mobile: 021 028 38013
address: Helensville
Join Me

 .  .


Thursday, 10 October 2019

The Monday Art Group




Audrey Jenkins (short) Laurel North (red top) Wendy Fraser (rear) Annabel Brechelt (scarf) Elaine (red top) Front row: Lyn Chapman (pinny) & Norma Frazer (stripes) Absent from photo Jan Backhurst and Avon Aspden.

This is a group of long time artistic friends that meet each week for some humorous companionship to stimulate their artistic efforts.

The group have often featured in regional papers for their achievements at the Helensville
A & P Show and also at local exhibitions.

Collectively the group takes creative inspiration from colourful landscapes and the natural plant and animal life of here and abroad, replicated in most mediums on canvas, board and paper.

Audrey, Norma and Elaine are well known for their land and seascapes, many of New Zealand scenes.

Laurel, Lyn and Jan are adept at painting anything and everything that takes their imagination.

Wendy is clever at creating scenes in ink and paint while Annabel is a dab hand at native birds and exotic animals.

Avon’s interest is portraits and animals in pen & ink.

The Monday Art Group will be exhibiting in the Memorial Hall for ARTS in the VILLE Labour Weekend Oct 26th-28th 2019.

Monday, 7 October 2019

Myra Lloyd -Marmalade Hats










Hailing originally from Zimbabwe, Myra started out in the Fashion World.

Next as a Nursery School teacher in the U.K. the children’s art work inspired her to paint.

When immigrating to New Zealand Myra followed her life-long passion for hats.

With some help from courses in the U.K. but mostly self-taught, she now create hats that are designed for todays clothes.

Myra aspires to make hats that make you feel great.

Myra’s Studio will be open for two days of Labour Weekend 2019, Sat Oct 26th and Mon Oct 28th.

Myra will also be presenting the Hat Parade on Sun Oct 27th at 4-30pm in the Memorial Hall in Helensville.

Thursday, 3 October 2019

Steven Valiere





After fifty plus years of international surfing, Steven Valiere doesn’t just know his subject
matter-he’s lived it every day of his life. A self-schooled artist with very little formal training,
Steven works in acrylics to create bold, multi-layered surfscapes celebrating the joy of carving
fades, gouging bottom turns, deep tube rides and sweeping aerials, done with the grace
of a Balinese dancer.  In Valiere’s mythical paradise of no contest, surf camps, or wet suits,
aborigines surf in a dream world-The Art of Surfing.
As a teenager in Southern California during the sixties, surfing was the driving force,
rock ‘n roll the heartbeat and art the soul that shaped Steven Valiere’s world. 
The North Shore of Oahu and Maui in the fall and winter of 1970 opened his mind
and eyes. The new places and faces stimulated a curiosity to expand his horizon.  
In early 1972 he boarded a plane to Peru, promising to return to college in a year
 but Stevens education was taking a different path.  Valiere’s odyssey took him to
some of the worlds most remote spots in an extraordinary adventure that most
surfers only dream of.  From Peru to Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Indonesia,
Fiji and uncharted villages of Papua New Guinea, Steven has surfed virgin tubes
of no name and no end.  
Steven’s work will be exhibited in the Hall at ARTS in the VILLE over Labour Weekend
October 26th-28th 2019.

Monday, 30 September 2019

Raywin Cruickshank



Raywin has been painting seriously for the last 4 and a half years.
It was always her ultimate ambition but only realised in her late 60s.
She uses oils and realism is her preferred art. Raywin has a passion for flowers, as she has a large garden. She also enjoys people and has painted quite a few commissions.


Raywin’s studio at 25 Rogan avenue, is open for ARTS in the VILLE over Labour Weekend October 26th-28th 2019.


Thursday, 26 September 2019

Ruth Sumner







Ruth Sumner

Ruth was born and raised in Otahuhu and this has served to infuse my work with the colour and diversity indicative of the immigrant and Pacific culture that permeated my childhood and teens.  She studied painting and printmaking at MIT’s School of Visual Arts and then went on to complete an MA in Art and Design at AUT in 2002. For the last 20 years Ruth has lived and practiced my art in Dairy Flat surrounded by native bush.
Recently Ruth and her husband moved to Helensville attracted by the vibrant arts culture that the area seems to nurture.
She work in oils, acrylics and spray paint to create abstract paintings and prints.


Ruth’s studio is in the Old Arts Centre behind the Corner Butchery building on Commercial rd beside ARTSTOP. She will be open for the entire Labour Weekend between 10am to 4pm October 26th-28th 2019.

Monday, 23 September 2019

Tin Shed Yarns -Fiona MacBride

Kaipara Valley Shawl
Fiona MacBride –Tin Shed Yarns

The need to stitch was always with Fiona and after winning an award at a National Quilting show she worked to free-up her creativity and develop her design work.

 She found she was good with colour and absorbed the theory easily.  She took to spinning and knitting between “the children” and did teaching workshops on Ashford spinning and dyeing equipment as a retailer.

Having not been taught to knit she found it liberating to work without patterns or rules. Acknowledging her heritage has meant a diversion into social history and particularly the Myth of The Aran.

Fiona is setting off on a study of Shetland and Aran work in the near future where she hopes to meet with curators and researchers.

Fiona’s Workshop/Studio in Nelson st will be open over Labour Weekend for ARTS in the VILLE October 26th-28th 2019.

Thursday, 19 September 2019

William Robert Boyd


William has been living in Helensville for the past five years. 

He started painting fifteen years ago .

Born in Scotland but educated in America and England, NZ has beenhome for 48 yrs . His studio in the old BNZ building is always open by appointment.

William specialises in commissions.

www.williamrobertboyd.co.

William's studio will be open over Labour Weekend Oct 26th-28th for ARTS in the VILLE 2019.

Monday, 16 September 2019

Liana Steedman


Liana Steedman paints mainly landscapes using acrylics. She loves using bright colours.
A lot of her ideas come from her working environment where she is surrounded by lakes, farmland andthe Kaipara Harbour. Liana has a lot of ideas for her art but once she starts painting, the end result can be nothing like she imagined.

Liana's work will be displayed at the ARTSTOP pop-up 5 Commercial rd Helensville, for the ARTS in the VILLE Labour Weekend October 26th-28th 2019.

Thursday, 12 September 2019

Heidi Van Duyn



Heidi Van Duyn’s passion for aerosol art is depicted in her varying styles. This ranges from the freedom of flow echoed by a neutral frequency, or the rigidness of design through geometric shapes, lines and patterns. Much of Heidi’s art is directed by the spray cans themselves almost as if the colours were whispering, ‘pick me up so I can deliver my essence’.


Heidi Van Duyn's work will be shown at Te Awaroa Cafe, Helensville over Labour Weekend Oct 26th-28th 2019.

Tuesday, 10 September 2019

Karen St John



KAREN ST JOHN

Karen St John has created a host of characters that leave you imagining the world these characters came from. Morphed between animals and people, well-dressed and intensely detailed, these characters, once viewed, will leave you with more questions than answers. Where do they come from, how do they fit together, what wonderful tale is woven around them? Who are the heroes and who are the villains?
Karen St John’s work is also being exhibited at “ Eleventh Hour” on Commercial rd Helensville.


Writing and photos credit Helen Martin.