STOP, ENJOY THE VIEW: Rebecca Mooney and Jo Luping

KINA Gallery is proud to present new work by renowned Taranaki  artist Rebecca Mooney and Wellington artist Jo Luping in their exhibition STOP, ENJOY THE VIEW

Rebecca’s vivid paintings harness the energy and brilliant colour of our environment, and encourage us to pause and enjoy a different view or perspective.

Some of the work presented in this show marks a shift in Rebecca’s work towards the use of organic outline: bold silhouettes contain her characteristic expressive strokes alluding to a notion of balance between chaos and order. Rebecca states that these works are not so much about the shape of the silhouette, but rather about capturing movement and referencing it into the shape. She says, “The quality of the paintwork IS the subject matter – not the shape itself”.

Rebecca explains the inspiration behind her latest work:
I was recently in Wellington and while walking up a long and steep flight of steps leading to The Terrace I read some words written on one of the steps using masking tape: “Stop, enjoy the view”. So I did. I stopped, raised my view from the steps, turned and viewed the city. I thought that was a thoughtful note. We often forget to pause, change our mindset and enjoy a different view or a different perspective.

Rebecca’s paintings are very sensual and capture moments in time that prompt our memories and experiences of nature. The colour, layers and heavy tactile strokes suggest the way one may feel and experience the environment, and encourages us to reconsider the way we view of our world.

STOP, ENJOY THE VIEW is on show in the KINA gallery until the 2 December 2010.

NewFoundZeaLand . Sam Broad . Jacob Rolfe . Graeme Thompson

KINA Gallery is proud to present NewFoundZeaLand an exhibition featuring prints by Sam Broad and Jacob Rolfe along with sculpture by Graeme Thompson.
Sam Broad themes include 1950s pulp sci-fi, Maoriana and New Zealand postage stamps. Sam juxtaposes these motifs in a style which the artist describes as future folk vs. colonial tea party.

 Jacob Rolfe creates images that are fascinating and engaging. His style has been described as pschyedelic-asian-deco.

Also on show are Graeme Thompson’s 'The Aristocrats' series; decorative porcelain figures of 18th century nobility, satirically subverted by Steampunk robotics prostheses and weapons.

NewFoundZeaLand is on show in the KINA gallery until the 3 November 2010.

TARANAKI FATHER & DAUGHTER TEAM TOGETHER FOR EXHIBITION

KINA Gallery hosted an exhibition by father-daughter duo, Peter and Rachel Lambert in August. This exhibition combines paintings by Peter Lambert with jewellery by daughter, Rachel. 

Although this was the third exhibition Peter and Rachel have exhibited in together, both artists are established artists in their own right.  Rachel says that although Peter has encouraged her creative side, it was always a natural thing for her to make jewellery. “I’ve always made jewellery ... I like 3D”.  Growing up, Rachel reflects that she spent a lot of time in Peter’s studio playing around: “I used to watch him paint, but I used to play with clay”. 

Rachel’s pieces in this show celebrate her love for the three dimensional object and her experimental approach with form.  Intricate patterns cut from silver, are combined with bone. These pieces are complemented with meticulously carved geometric designs made from stone, borrowing influences from the streamlined, simple shapes of Art Deco jewellery.

Rachel Lambert is featured in Issue 58 of URBIS (page 105); on sale from October 2010

In contrast to his daughter’s refined pieces, Peter Lambert’s paintings in this exhibition take on more of free-spirited approach, confidently capturing the dynamism of life in our urban environment. Invigorated by the art of our youth culture, Peter speaks about his current art practice with enthusiasm:  “At this point of time I want to have a go at everything”. Indeed, Peter’s work in this show embodies an energy that is both refreshing and uplifting.

Check out Kina's on-line shop at http://www.kina.co.nz/ for a range of Peter's etchings and screenprints and then in the jewellery section for a gorgeous range of Rachel's jewellery.

DON DRIVER: Medley

KINA Gallery is privileged to offer Taranaki art lovers the unique opportunity to purchase some special pieces by one of New Zealand’s leading artists – Don Driver. This exhibition showcases a selection of pieces seldom seen outside the artist’s own studio.

Driver once said that his aim is “to get an exciting mixture of objects in different colours and forms and make them unexpected”. His ambiguous juxtapositions have teased and provoked us in the past, and this exhibition promises to continue to challenge our perceptions of the ordinary.

This exhibition at KINA embraces several of Driver’s signature formats. It provides the people of Taranaki a chance to enjoy and ponder the work of an artist who, although he has aroused much controversy and debate, has undeniably made a significant contribution to abstraction in New Zealand contemporary art.

Don Driver's exhibition can be viewed until October 6, 2010

Jacqueline Elley POOLS of LIGHT

KINA Gallery is delighted to present new work by Jacqueline Elley on show from 15 July. Elley’s artwork explores water and light in varied ways through realist paintings and abstract light boxes.

Elley is an established artist who has exhibited alongside the likes of ex-Taranaki legendary artists, Michael Smither and Tom Mutch. In fact, Elley describes Mutch as her mentor, saying that he “took her under his wing” and let her know how hard it can be to become an artist. It was through Mutch that Elley became involved in the Birds Nest Studio exhibitions in Kuaotunu. As an invited guest artist in 2003, 2005 and 2010, Elley had near sell-out shows.

Elley graduated from the Otago Polytechnic School of Art in 1999 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours and was awarded the painting prize for that year for her minimalist fibre works. Always drawn to the coast, she has lived in Hahei, Raglan, the Far North, the Kapiti Coast and now Taranaki. She says living around different coastal areas has allowed her to explore seascapes and draw in ideas from the environment.

This is the first time Elley has had an opportunity to exhibit both her paintings and light boxes together. She sees this exhibition at KINA as a way of developing some ideas she has had since art school. Robert Eagle, Gallery Manager of Fisher Brown Gallery recently commented to Elley that her lightboxes “were quite watery”. Although she hadn’t related her paintings and light boxes together in a conscious way, Elley believes that the idea of fluidity runs between the two: “realist and abstract art forms are linked and each discipline is enriched by its juxtaposition to the other.”

POOLS OF LIGHT is on show in the KINA gallery until the 10th August 2010.

Earth Mauri NICHOLAS TOA

KINA Gallery is proud to present new work by Waitara stone sculptor Nick Toa, on show from 15 July. Toa’s current work endeavours to draw attention to the energy of the rock. This energy is the rock’s mauri – its presence and reason for existence.

Toa explains mauri as “the driving force that gives things a purpose to exist”. His intuitive carving encourages the viewer to consider the intrinsic qualities of the rock, and the possibility that seemingly inanimate objects are living. He states that his work attempts to “heighten awareness that the earth is a living being, and we need to be more aware of treating it as such”.

Toa graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from WITT in 2005 before taking on the task of building a significant internal structure for the Waitara Arts Space. Toa has also been involved in various Taranaki exhibitions, including the Taranaki Art Review where he was awarded a Highly Commended prize in 2006.

EARTH MAURI is on show in the KINA gallery until the 10th August 2010.

ANDI REGAN: Spiro - an exhibition with a twist

KINA Gallery is delighted to present innovative, up-cycled work by Andi Regan. Regan is a multi-media artist based in Wanaka who employs discarded or everyday materials and turns them into beautiful, desirable and decorative objects. Her current work utilises cable ties to create 3 Dimensional Wall Sculptures.

Regan has a background in textile design, which is evident in the way she plays with texture and pattern in her work. Her work transcends the boundaries of conventional textile design, taking on an experimental approach using unconventional materials. Using techniques such as fusing, tying and folding, Regan states that her work seems to always evolve into something symmetrical and decorative: “I have an obsession for circular objects which I balance with a fascination of materials being used in an unconventional way; each material takes on a new form as the work evolves and is ultimately re-created”.

Regan’s most recent work on show at KINA has been inspired by Spirographs: “I was fascinated by them as a child, loving the symmetry and patterns they could make, I recently found an old set from the 70’s and have found it to a constant point of reference”.