NZ Art Show Breaks ALL Records With a Bumper 2021 Show
JUNE 15, 2021
It was a record-breaking show for the team at the NZ Art Show, with unprecedented demand for NZ art. The buzz surrounding this year’s show was certainly felt in the lead up, and the event itself surpassed all expectations. The 3-day NZ Art Show event which showcases around 3,000 pieces of original, affordable New Zealand art was cancelled last year due to Covid, but came back with a vengeance in 2021, and the numbers speak for themselves; more than 2,000 artworks found new homes, more than 10,000 attendees walked through the doors, and more than $2 million in art sales (previous show was 1.3m). Many artists sold out completely, which is the ultimate achievement for an art show of this size.
(GLEN JORNA PICTURED ABOVE)
Wellington artist Glen Jorna says “The public’s reaction was completely overwhelming, walking into an almost empty wall on opening night. By the end of the show, 20 out of 21 of my pieces went to new homes. To continue to realise that my art has an ability to resonate with people is an incredibly affirming, validating and emotional experience for me as an artist. Once again, the NZ Art Show has been a wonderful experience for me, and has given me the confidence to keep on creating my art for others to see and enjoy in the future”
Carla Russell, Executive Director of the NZ Art Show says “The public know that the NZ Art Show is the most significant show of its kind and the demand to attend this year was at an all-time high. This year we sold out of Gala Evening tickets earlier than usual, and we also sold out of Friend memberships – the first time ever in the show’s history. 2021 was a year of celebration and it proved to us how important the NZ Art Show is for Wellington and for the NZ arts community”.
Kicking off the show was the sell-out Gala Evening on Thursday 3rd June, opening the event in suitable style as more than 1200 art lovers celebrated New Zealand art in what can only be described as a frenzy of art hungry party goers. It was a spectacular night of art and music, and patrons showed their love of art by kicking their heels up in style, purchasing 100’s of pieces of original NZ artworks.
Russell says “I’m absolutely delighted with how the evening went, and it certainly set a precedent for the following days. Everyone was in high spirits, relishing the opportunity to celebrate en masse after missing last year’s show which was cancelled due to lockdown. I always love how the Gala Evening as it brings together the artists and the business community in a relaxed and fun event”
Attendees were well rewarded as they were treated to thousands of stunning artworks by 210 artists, fine wine by Luna Estate, craft beer from Taranaki brewery Shining Peak and live music by The Yeabsley Brothers Trio featuring John Rae.
The show is also well known for its awards. The People’s Choice Art Award, a $3,000 prize sponsored by Brendan Foot Supersite since 2016, was a popular part of the event and attracted thousands of public votes over the course of the show. Ten stand-out artworks were selected by a jury panel, and the winner was chosen based on the total number of votes. A very clear winner emerged, with congratulations going to Christchurch artist Jamie Stewart for his winning oil painting ‘Passing Rains’.
Congratulations also to the other nine finalists who were chosen to feature on the coveted People’s Choice Award wall: ‘Wonder Where That Goes’, a steel wall sculpture by Christchurch artist Don Service; ‘Einstein’, acrylic painting by New Plymouth artist Harry Moores; ‘Congo’ a woven piece by Wellington artist Tim Christie; ‘Fierce’, graphite illustration by Levin artist FJS- Art; ‘Uncomfortable Persuasion (Two), oil painting by Wellington artist Samuel O’Malley; ‘Stingray Creek’, acrylic painting by Auckland artist Tanya Blong; ‘.Observerism’, a mixed media collage by Taranaki artist Milarky; ‘Through The Kitchen Window’, photography by Wellington artist Bella Foster; and ‘Resting’, a digital photograph by Taranaki artist Fay Looney.
Janine Whitelaw from Northland emerged as a winner for her mixed media painting ‘Beautiful Solitude’ which was selected for The Artist and the Rosé Award sponsored by Luna Estate Winery. The artwork will feature on the label for the 2022 Rosé.
Celebrating our staff: Glen Jorna exhibits at the NZ Art Show
31 MAY, 2019
Q&A with Specialist Teacher and exhibiting artist, Glen Jorna
The Arts have always played a key role at Wellesley: Boys who have come through these gates have explored the Arts in every way, whether they’re tough on the rugby field or sharp in the Lit Quiz. How lucky are they, then, to benefit from these incredible specialist teachers, from such a young age, as part of their foundational learning?
One of these specialist teachers is Glen Jorna, Head of Arts at Wellesley: Today, we sat down for a Q&A, ahead of the NZ Art Show, which opens tonight. Here is what he had to say:
Q: “Glen, can you tell me what it means to you to be in the NZ Art Show this year, exhibiting for the third time?”
A: “It means a lot to me, and not just as a teacher: It’s great for me to feel that I can be an inspiration to the boys that I teach, and they can see me as an exhibiting artist. Hopefully this means that they are inspired to continue pursuing an artistic journey and become one day exhibiting artists themselves.
On a personal level, I feel like I am evolving as an artist and the NZ Art Show is a good platform to get my art seen and enjoyed by the public. I am feeling very happy with what I am producing and comfortable with the process.”
Q: “How do you feel your art has evolved over the last three years?”
A: “Early on, it was very raw, and with time and practice, it has become more refined and more harmonious, more layered, textured and even more sculptural I think.”
Q: “What are you trying to communicate in your artworks?”
A: “I am trying to give a platform to things that people don’t notice: On, say, Cuba Street, people might walk around and not notice little compositions of interesting street textures. So, what I’m trying to do is give a platform to things that people don’t notice and capturing the beauty in decay and the decay in beauty.
(above: Glen teaching an art lesson on expressive portraits with a group of students)
Q: “So you’re looking at urban decay, billboards, signs, street textures as your inspiration?”
A: “Yes, all of that. I still collect street posters- they’re always an element in my work, where I start from, and build up from there.
It’s also about capturing a sense of time, place and history. The little pieces of evidence in my artworks reference different locations around the city.
Q: “Yes, I’ve noticed in some of your artworks that sometimes words, or logos, appear through the layers- Do you use this as a starting point to develop a piece?
A: “It does start there: I collect and sort the ripped-up posters into piles (colour, motif, etc) and then I’ll start to layer and glue the elements in a collage, which often informs the colours I choose for the paint, spray paint and markers. Sometimes, there will be things that pop out, like words or forms. Other times, I will just create compositions that I find beautiful or that have a deep meaning or hidden message. I always name the piece with some reference to where the material came from (a poster or the street it was collected from).
Q: “Do you have a favourite area around Wellington that you like to collect from?”
A: “Probably around the Cuba street area, or Newtown. There are lots of interesting walls and grungy areas. Wellington, though, in the last few years has been cleaning up its advertising areas a lot, so I’m finding it frustrating because I like the raw-ness and grunginess, and it’s getting too clean! If I go to Melbourne, for example, the city’s just covered in layers of billboard posters and street art, which is just so cool.”
Q: “Am I correct in saying that, what you’re trying to do, is to bring that sense of ‘street art’ into the home? To somehow ‘bring the outside in’?”
A: “That’s a great way of looking at it! I don’t think of myself as a “Street Artist”, but I guess I’m bringing some refinement to the decay on city streets and bringing it into a home, contemporising it, putting my own stamp on it, and refining it. It’s about putting my own lens onto street art, my interpretation of it, and putting it on canvas. It’s a reflection of what’s out there and bringing the outside in. I think people like the idea of having a little piece of a place in their home, they like the reference to it because they have been there.”
Q: “So you’re capturing the feeling of a place?”
A: “Yes, a feeling, a little bit of history, a sense of place, all those kinds of things.”
Q: “Fantastic. So, when you’re teaching your students, do you talk to them about these ideas when they’re looking at artwork? How do you help them inform their art?”
A: “With the older boys who do Art Extension, they have more of an insight into me as an artist and my process. A few of them are keen to have a go at some of my techniques. I guess when I’m teaching the boys any project, I always start with incorporating some Art History, so I always introduce a new project with a famous (or not so famous) artist and try to hook them in that way. This gives them context.”
Wellesley congratulates Glen on his body of work, his dedication, and expertise in visual arts. For more information on Glen’s work, visit https://www.artshow.co.nz/artist-details/glen-jorna/
We hope Wellesley boys and their families will make time to visit the NZ Art Show this Queen’s Birthday weekend at the TSB Arena
Visit to Muritai School
GUEST ARTIST - GLEN JORNA
DECEMBER 2018
We've had a surprise visitor today in Room 7 - Glen Jorna, artist and teacher. Glen was so taken by our calendar art that he came to look at the finished work, and share some of his own pieces.
We were very fortunate that he talked through his process, and we were able to ask lots of questions about his art and influences. Thanks Glen!
Artists Sell Out as Eager Art Collectors Snap Up $1.2 Million of Art at NZ Art Show
JUNE 8, 2018
Eager art collectors snapped up nearly 1,700 artworks at the 2018 NZ Art Show, chalking up more $1.2 million in sales. More than 10,000 people attended the show held in Wellington over Queen’s Birthday weekend.
In a first for the show, many artists sold out of their artwork.
Carla Russell, Executive Director of the NZ Art Show is astounded by the results.
‘This year marks fifteen years of the NZ Art Show, and this is the best way to celebrate’, says Russell. ‘I’m so proud of how the artists performed: they all presented outstanding talent which was well rewarded by healthy art sales.’
Among the artists who sold out included Wellington artists Juliet Best and Glen Jorna, and Auckland artist Anna Filiminova.
Wellesley College art teacher Glen Jorna sold all of his 23 artworks
Art teacher Glen Jorna sold 23 pieces. His abstract artwork is inspired by the torn remnants of urban advertising poster walls. This was his first time exhibiting as an on-site artist and he came into the show not knowing how his works would be received by the public.
‘As I was setting up my wall, I was questioning the quality of my art,’ says Jorna, ‘but the positive reaction to my work was completely overwhelming. Most were intrigued by my method and process of collecting torn posters from the streets and incorporating them in many layers in my work. I feel truly validated as an artist.’
Ukranian-born Anna Filimonova is a surrealist painter and a first-time exhibitor with the show – she was stunned that she sold all her artworks. When her last artwork was removed from her wall she received a rousing applause from neighbouring artists and attendees.
‘This was my first chance to get my artwork in front of thousands of people and see if they understood what I was doing’, says Filimonova. ‘From all the feedback I received, I now know that I am on the right track.’
Wellington artist Juliet Best sold out within 24 hours of the show’s opening
But probably the biggest success story from the show is attributed to Wellington painter Juliet Best who has been exhibiting with the show since 2005. She went home on Friday, a mere one day after the show opened, because she had sold all of her oil paintings.‘I’m proud to be a New Zealander,’ says Best, ‘a country where art is valued and celebrated, where artists can live and work professionally.’[/one_half_last]
In addition to the high sales, there were a number of other artists who won big at the show with the show’s awards.
Four art school graduates won the RT Nelson Emerging Artist Awards of $2,500 each – the NZ Art Show congratulates Bonco, Niki Simpkin-Hill and Amy Donnell from Elam School of Fine Art, and Michael Mahne Lamb from Massey University College of Creative arts on their awards
People’s Choice Art Award sponsored by Brendan Foot Supersite: Don Service from Christchurch will receive $3,000 as the winner of the award – his work ‘Some More Than Others’ was hugely popular. Don was humbled to hear the news and will use the winnings to purchase a plasma cutter for his work.[/one_half_last]
Wellington artists Dean Proudfoot and Rika Nagahata received the Signature Promotions Art Award, $1,000 and $500 respectively. The Signature Promotions Art Award is open to all on-site artists and the competition is tough.
‘I am delighted to see so many artists coming out on top this year,’ says Russell. ‘The show is a true testament to the creative spirit of all Kiwis. I can’t wait for the 2019 show.’
Six Wellington Artists to Check Out at NZ Art Show 2018
By Josalin Saffer
MAY 29, 2018
The much-anticipated NZ Art Show returns over the Queen's Birthday weekend to showcase some of the finest art from emerging and established artists around the country. Attendees wishing to bring home some local art this year will have plenty of exceptional artworks to choose from —Wellington is representing strongly.
This is the 15th anniversary of the annual event, held at the TSB Arena from 1-4 June. The show aims not only to give New Zealand artists a bigger platform to showcase their work, but also to provide more people with access to affordable, original art and an opportunity to meet local artists in a laid-back setting.
This weekend will be a paradise for art lovers with money to invest, but also for those interested in owning original art at affordable prices — works range from $50 to $5000 with an average sale price of $650. To give you a head start on inspiration, we discovered six talented Welly artists whose work you should keep an eye out for at this year's show.
LARA GILKS
Lara Gilks is a Seatoun-based photographer who takes inspiration from Wellington's moody, erratic weather, often producing melancholic images that evoke deep emotion. What makes her work interesting is the unexpected juxtaposition of her subject matter. Her compelling, dreamlike photographs test boundaries and challenge aesthetic conventions, often giving the viewer pause, an effect that Gilks says "disturbs the everyday reality," and one that she experiments with intentionally.
"There's a really thin line between things like the macabre and the beautiful, and perfection and imperfection, and human and inhuman, and dream and reality, and I love creating things that teeter along that line. Sometimes it takes people to uncomfortable places. That's what I like to play with," Gilks says.
A signature finalist the first two years she exhibited, Gilks returns to the NZ Art Show for her fourth year.
TATYANA KULIDA
Originally from Russia, contemporary realist Tatyana Kulida has showcased her work all over the world, from the United States to Italy, where she trained in the classical styles and traditional techniques of the Renaissance masters. Painting almost exclusively live models, Kulida's biggest challenge is the time consuming nature of her process and certainly one of the most impressive elements of her work. It can require many sittings spread out over weeks, months, or even years before one of her portraits is complete.
"It's a little bit different from something that's produced quickly. It's a real time commitment that I put into the work, but I enjoy it tremendously. I wouldn't want to do it any other way," Kulida says.
This year, Kulida will be painting a live flower demonstration over the course of the four-day show, so people can see how she creates a painting from start to finish. You can also catch her at her studio, Anthesis Atelier, on Willis Street, where she paints live models and teaches classes on traditional drawing and painting.
DEAN PROUDFOOT
Originally from Gisborne, Dean Proudfoot has spent the last 15 years in Miramar working as a commercial illustrator and a painter. Known for his varied, eclectic style, his work frequently references the nostalgia of our cultural past, but often encompasses many themes, subjects and styles. If there's one common vein in his work, Proudfoot says, it's a sense of humour.
"I certainly like the lowbrow approach to art and I don't think it necessarily needs to be elitist or deep and meaningful. If it brings a smile to someone's face, then that's a connection with that person, and that's just as valuable," Proudfoot says.
A NZ Art Show veteran, Proudfoot has been exhibiting his artwork since the show's inception 15 years ago. After a brief hiatus, he returned to showcase his work three years ago. This year, he's excited about testing new styles and approaches and gauging the public's reaction.
JANE BLACKMORE
You might have met Jane Blackmore at the art gallery and studio she co-owns in Shelly Bay, Miramar, or maybe you've seen her cruising around the Peninsula in her 1973 olive green Austin 1300. A finalist at the NZ Art Show 2012 Signature Piece Awards, the artist specialises in oil paintings of serene landscapes and lush florals that play with abstraction and aspects of realism.
Blackmore draws inspiration from the vistas of the Wellington hills and harbour, and there are often familiar elements and recognisable landscapes in her work. But, she says, she is careful to give the viewer only glimpses of the familiar, without revealing too much.
"I'm not into work that's too representational because if you're telling everyone what to see or feel, the magic and mystery don't happen," she says.
The upshot of this approach is that her images have the tendency to feel at once novel and nostalgic, offering a space for the viewer's reflection. This will be Blackmore's seventh year exhibiting at the NZ Art Show. She will be on-site interacting with the public throughout the weekend.
'Goosebumps on Manners Street' by Glen Jorna.
GLEN JORNA
Glen Jorna is the cool art teacher you always wish you'd had. Originally from Australia, the mixed media artist works at Wellesley Boys' School in Eastbourne. Encouraged by the principal, he moved his studio from his home to the school so his students can watch his art-making process. He usually uses a combination of found materials, spray paint, and acrylics to create abstract images reminiscent of vibrant street art.
When he's not teaching or working in the studio, he's wandering the Wellington streets looking for inspiration. When Jorna finds old papers or posters on street billboards, he rips them off, fills his pockets with them and brings them back to his studio, where they get added to his collection.
They say one man's trash is another man's treasure and, for Jorna, this is often true — the scraps he finds form the first layer of his canvases and the streets he finds them on inform the titles of his works.
"When I'm walking around Wellington, I'll often stop and take photos of interesting marks on walls, and things that most people probably don't notice. There's something about textures, decay and street walls that I want people to just stop and notice. I hope to give them a platform to appreciate it," he says.
This is Jorna's first year exhibiting as a SAW (Single Artist Wall) artist, and he will be showcasing around 20 works.
RIKA NAGAHATA
Rika Nagahata is a Japanese artist who has lived in Wellington for the past ten years. She uses ink and watercolours from Japan to create entrancing images of animals formed by a mix of patterns and shapes.
While pursuing a degree in printmaking from Osaka Art University, she experimented with copperplate printing techniques, which have greatly influenced her style. The detailed patterns and fine lines she creates often reflect the intricate process of etching and result in a mesmerising effect. A Kilbirnie resident, Nagahata says she often gets inspiration for her work from the native birds and plants in her local area.
"Wellington is full of life and always influences my art in many ways," she says.
This is her sixth time exhibiting as a SAW artist at the NZ Art Show.