Tea Party

As new stock arrives for Christmas, we've been having a bit of a tea party at KINA.

Just in, are these beautiful (and tasty) teas and infusions by t-leaf T. They come in special little sampler tins either in Kawakawa Fire, Fabulous Fejoa or the Christmas taster. As a great gift idea we also sell Taster packs which come as a Kiwi Taster or Xmas Taster - and include an infuser ball!

The Humble Cup calender for 2010 is another wonderful Christmas gift. Each month features a beautifully photographed tea cup, and has the months and days written in both English and Maori.

Standing proudly next to her individually handmade, up-cycled tea cosies is Julianne Lafferty - artist and fellow 'KINA girl'. These really work! We've tried and tested them - and love them!

There's nothing better than a good cuppa.

Just in - AWA JEWELS!!

We absolutely love these recently released rings by AWA Jewels. Designed by Nga Waiata, these chunky up-cycled native Maire and crystal rings have just arrived this morning – and we’ve all been longingly admiring them for their tactile nature and aesthetic beauty. They are natural, organic shaped, warm – and lovely to wear!

Each ring comes with its own sweet silk bag – and it’s all handmade in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Nga Waiata’s AWA Jewels were featured in last weekends Sunday Star Times Magazine in their 'Going Up' column. Alongside this, both Nga Waiata and her partner Peter Baker (also an artist) have also just been featured in Urbis Magazine – Issue 52.

This is one up-and-coming designer’s work that should not be ignored!

See: www.kina.co.nz for Nga Waiata's artist profile.

The Kiwi Diary is back!

THE KIWI DIARY 2010 -
A discerning publication providing daily brain-food and eye-candy for creative Kiwis.

The perfect gift for New Zealander’s hungry for something homegrown.

They’ve done it again! The Kiwi Diary, edition five, is on sale November 1st. With loads of space to plan your life, The Kiwi Diary is more than just a diary. This full colour publication showcases established and emerging Kiwi artists, writers and poets. It is filled with tasty Kiwi recipes, Te Reo, famous Kiwi quotes, tips on sustainable living, and thought provoking articles. With all these elements blended sweetly together, it’s cooler than a grapefruit Fruju on a summer’s day.

It’s about history and loyalty…

The history of The Kiwi Diary reaches back to Te Onetahua, Farewell Spit 2004, where Annabel Wilson, member of the creative crew, had an idea. Surrounded by the beauty of the landscape on the wild coast at the top of the South Island, she felt inspired to create a distinctive publication that reflected the uniqueness of New Zealand’s art, culture, environment and heritage.

Now, in its fifth year The Kiwi Diary has become a much anticipated work of art, loved by New Zealanders at home and abroad. In a solid, spiral-bound A5 format, the 220-page diary is printed locally with vegetable-based inks and paper from sustainably managed forests. Fling Media’s three partners put the environment first, ‘keeping it real’ by donating a percentage of profits to conservation projects in Aotearoa.

The perfect gift (just in time for Christmas!), The Kiwi Diary 2010 is a unique, functional and plucky publication that will strike a patriotic chord with all New Zealanders.

On sale at KINA from November 1st 2009

Shop Online: www.kina.co.nz

Vote for us!

Attached a link to Kina’s voting page for the “People’s Choice Award” which is a category of the National Sustainable Business Network Awards. The awards take place in Auckland, Thursday 12 November. KINA is a finalist in the Emerging Small and Medium Business Category.

http://www.sustainableawards.org.nz/finalists/kina-nz-design-and-art-space

You know what to do…

And you’re welcome to pass this link onto other lovely people who are supporters of KINA.

Taranaki in view!

Exciting news ... we have just received a selection of Graham Kirk's latest 2009 Superheroes in Taranaki Limited Edition prints.

Graham Kirk is known for his monumental paintings which can span over 3 meters. He will often incorporate a superhero or a well know personality into a New Zealand (sometimes UK) landscape. Because some of Graham’s paintings are private commissions we often never see them.

However Graham has now produced a series of prints of some of his favourite images, creating an affordable work of art.

These Limited edition prints are A2 size (60cm x 41.8cm).
They are signed and Ink jet printed on Archival 300gsm Fine Art Paper.

Prints include:

* Batman & robin in Pukekura Park
* Superman in Currie Street
* Wonderwoman on Back Beach
* Tintin & Captain Haddock on walkway
* Supergirl & Mt. Taranaki

See: www.kina.co.nz

Layby for Christmas now!

ROBIN SLOW: Nga Hononga - Connections

9 October – 4 November

Robin Slow is a storyteller, interested in connecting the oral with the visual. He states “when a history or story is visually told it has more flexibility and power - it is not confining”. These visual stories reveal his connection to the whenua (land), the people and the “inter reaction of these features”.

Slow trained as a commercial artist, before completing a teaching diploma with an art major. After seven years living in the vision of Maunga Aoraki he moved to Mohua/Golden Bay. Since 1991 he has worked with whanau at Onetahua Marae producing murals, traditional intruments, kowhaiwhai and carving, culminating in the completion of the wharenui, Te Ao Marama.

Recently Slow has made a shift from the Marae based co-operative process to working on an individual level and exhibiting in galleries. Although this shift has been made, Slow has continued working with traditional materials and processes in his paintings - including exploring the use of Kokowai.

The work presented in this show has a unique richness and depth which pulls the viewer into the work. The layers of meaning and the beautiful lyricism of his work enable a dialogue to take place which could not be achieved through words alone. This is truly powerful storytelling about the uniqueness of place, and our experience of being in the world.

FUSION - Furniture by Ian Key

KINA is proud to exhibit a selection of Ian Key’s furniture in his exhibition FUSION showing at the KINA gallery 9 October 2009. Key is a local artist producing applied art for our living environment.

A strong relationship and understanding of basic materials is evidenced in Key’s work, which can be attributed to his hands-on background in bricklaying and the timber industry. Based on a developed understanding of the medium, Key has the ability to expose the timber’s beauty in the best possible way, fusing art, design and craft into a unified whole. Before establishing himself in furniture design, Key had a creative background in fine-art photography.

Key’s eclectic range of organic furniture has been created using locally grown exotic timbers such as Eucalyptus and Macrocarpa which he combines with metal forms made from copper and steel. The combination of the natural and the man-made highlights the individual qualities of each material, whist providing contrast, intrigue and functionality to the design.

Ian Key’s furniture is on show in the KINA gallery until 4 November 2009.