Friday, December 2, 2011

Optiv101 Supporting Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust

Optiv101 Supporting Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust

Trustees of the Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust will be exhibiting their works and demonstrating their art practices in the Whanganui Artists Open Studios 2012 (17 & 18 and 24 & 25 March 2012).

Aaron Potaka, Chairman, is a printmaker and painter, Neil Buddle, Treasurer, works in printmaking and mixed media assemblage, Esther Topfer, Secretary, uses mixed media and printmaking, Sandra Louwrens de Kock, Trustee, works with painting media, and Bernie Steyn, Trustee, is a fine arts student.

Learn what the Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust does to promote New Zealand contemporary fine arts.

Level One, Old Chronicle Building, 22 Drews Ave, Whanganui.

Thanks to Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios for their support.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Whanganui Artists Take Treble

Whanganui Artists Take Treble

Whanganui artists were a winning treble at the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards where artists were showing from Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Whanganui, Wairarapa, Wellington, and Otago.

In a strong local line up amongst the 48 artists on display, Pam Sears won through with her mixed media sculpture Nappy Brain to take the Best in Show Award. Alice Kim with her drawing Mind Map and Bernie Steyn with his painting Sentinel claimed Certificates of Merit.

The exhibition is showing until October 2 at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre, and was opened on Friday evening by Esther Topfer, secretary of conveners The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust. Earlier in the afternoon, judges Neil Buddle and Andrea Du Chatenier both of Whanganui, and Dane Pace of Auckland attended a preview session to choose the prize winners.

Ms Du Chatenier said that Ms Sears’ work was chosen Best in Show for the use of media, the concept of a new mother and her baby adjusting hormonally and emotionally to literal life changes, and the way she realised her work as a skull presented on a plinth to have a certain presence in the room.

Mr Buddle said that judges were overwhelmed by the intensity of Ms Kim’s Mind Map in scale, colour, patterns, and rhythms of the work. Ms Kim’s Certificate of Merit was presented to her son James in her absence. He said that she would be very pleased with the acknowledgement of her work by the judges and would like to thank the other artists for participating in the Whanganui National.

Bernie Steyn was also absent at the presentation. Mr Pace said that judges were impressed with the capturing of the dynamic changing of light in his landscape under a sunrise. The colour theory was well considered, a deep green and ochre of the land to launch a vibrancy of white and orange in the sky.

Ms Topfer said that the trust is pleased with the growing uptake nationally for the show with this exhibition being the biggest yet with forty-eight artists with five trustees and judges exhibiting as well.

“The Whanganui National is about artists from across New Zealand competing and aiming for their personal bests each time. It is good for us as artists and audience that we see the best from other artists, because we get new standards to reference from and we see what is happening elsewhere,” she says.

Ms Topfer said that it is a trust policy that the judges show to exhibit their credentials, and, the trustees as practicing artists also show to encourage fine arts as a path to youth and young people to engage the community

Ms Topfer said that the Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust is thankful for all its volunteers in the exhibition that takes over six months to implement. All that work is realised into a week of receipt and handling of works, and the last few hours of hanging the works before the judging session and opening.

“We hope that all our volunteers have gained some experience and insight into exhibition production. However, without them participating freely, we could not have done this in those months and few final hours. They play a big part in the Whanganui National when it matters,” she says.

Ms Topfer said that the trust is grateful for the support of their sponsors for their aid in bringing New Zealand art to Whanganui. “Our thanks to Creative Communities NZ Wanganui District, The Lion Foundation, Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios, Pub Charity, The United Lodge of Wanganui No. 468, The Trusts Charitable Foundation, and Mickey’s Superliquor”.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

More Sponsors for 2011 Whanganui National

More Sponsors for 2011 Whanganui National

The 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards gains more support as the competition nears. Two new sponsors have come on board in the past week, being The Trusts Charitable Foundation and The United Lodge of Wanganui No.468.

They join Creative Communities Wanganui District, The Lion Foundation, Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios, Pub Charity, and Mickey's Superliquor as sponsors to date.


The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust is grateful for their support of the arts in general and the 2011 Whanganui National in particular.


Receiving days are less than three weeks away from September 5 to 7 at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre. The competition is open to all artists living and working in New Zealand.

Entry form with terms and conditions are available from
www.24bar7.com.

The 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards is a Real Whanganui Festival event.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Interest Widespread For 2011 Whanganui National

Interest Widespread For 2011 Whanganui National

Call for entries have been made nationwide since May for the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards. The exhibition and the Best in Show Award are presented by the Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust, with support from The Lion Foundation, Creative Communities NZ Wanganui District, Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios, Pub Charity and Mickey's Superliquor as sponsors. More sponsors are to be announced soon.

The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust promotes the fine arts in New Zealand. As a leading city in training and nurturing it's artists, Wanganui takes its place as one of the movers and shakers in contemporary New Zealand art annually with this exhibition and the awards.

Trust secretary Esther Topfer says that interest is wide-ranging. "We see that the Whanganui National is hitting the radar for artists all over New Zealand, so we are expecting good turnouts from across the regions", she says.

Recent works are encouraged with the criteria of being made in the last twelve months. By presenting the Best in Show award and Certificates of Merit, the Trust promotes and encourages a career in the arts for the winning artists with these national awards.

The judges for this year's competition are Aucklander Dane Pace, a painter recently graduated from Unitech's School of Visual Design, mixed media artist and arts lecturer Andrea Du Chatenier of Whanganui, and Neil Buddle, trustee and printmaker, also of Whanganui.

The exhibition overall is more particularly an important venue for all of the works submitted, being a showcase of New Zealand artists. The annual Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards aims to promote New Zealand artists and New Zealand contemporary arts, and to bring new arts experiences to Wanganui. The trust looks forward to showing an exhibition of New Zealand artists in the city.

Receiving Days for entries into the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exihibtion and Awards are fast approaching.

Receiving Days
September 5 to 7, 2011,
10.30am to 4.00pm
Wanganui Community Arts Centre,
19 Taupo Quay, Wanganui

Opening Function
September 9, 2011, 5pm

Exhibition Hours
September 10 to October 2, 2011
Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm

Entry forms can be downloaded from www.24bar7.com

or contact
Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust,
PO Box 7318, Wanganui 4541,
email: contact@24bar7.com
mobile: 021 296 4451

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Dane Pace Judging 2011 Whanganui National

The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust acquired a new judge for the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards.

Painter Dane Pace from Auckland joins Andrea Du Chatenier, mixed media artist and arts lecturer of Whanganui and Neil Buddle, trustee and printmaker also of Whanganui. The three judges will select the Best in Show and two Certificates of Merit winners.

Though exempt from any prizes, the judges will also be exhibiting, offering the chance for visitors and submitting artists to see their work.

Trust chairman Aaron Potaka says that with the unavailability of Sheyne Tuffery as a judge due to a clashing of dates, “having Dane Pace is just as smart a move for everyone. He’s very keen to acknowledge New Zealand art at the Whanganui National”.

Mr Potaka says “the original mix of practitioners and working artists is still there amongst the judges. They are looking forward to those works that are at the forefront for them. The Best in Show and Merits selection is always in capable hands”.

The exhibition is open to artists living and working in New Zealand. Receiving days for the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards are September 5 to 7, 2011 at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre.

The awards are seen as recognition of the qualities of the winning artworks, and judges exhibiting their own work create a two way relationship with the artists and audience. “Judges are under scrutiny having their credentials on show like the artists who have entered the competition”, Mr Potaka says.

Entry forms can be downloaded from www.24bar7.com.

The Opening Function and Awards Presentation will be held at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre on Friday September 9, 5pm to 8pm. The exhibition runs until October 2.

The trust thanks their sponsors to date; The Lion Foundation, Creative Communities Wanganui District, Pub Charity, Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios, and Mickey's Superliquor.

The 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards is a Real Whanganui Festival event.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

New Sponsor for the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards

The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards Trust is pleased to announce a new sponsor for this year's award exhibition.

Pub Charity has come on board, joining our current sponsors for this year's event.


We would like to thank Pub Charity, Creative Communities Wanganui District, The Lion Foundation, Mickey's Superliquor, and Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios for their support of the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards.


Those artists who are interested in submitting a work, can download an entry form from http://www.24bar7.com

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Entry Open for 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards

The 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards entry form has been released for artists aiming to submit to the competition in September. The exhibition is open to all artists living and working in New Zealand.

The 2011 Entry form is available online from
www.24bar7.com and http://media.tripod.lycos.com/1855353/1725408.pdf.

The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust are the conveners of the exhibition. The trustees are pleased with the growing recognition of the event. The Best in Show Award includes a $500 prize. Two Certificates of Merit carry a prize of $100 each.

The competition is designed to create a national platform for visual artists in painting, printmaking, photography, glass production, sculpture and mixed media, and to build relationships between the national arts sector and the Whanganui arts community. The Whanganui National is a competition where New Zealand artists and arts are supported by the art conscious public of this city, and acknowledge the talent of the country’s artists with awards.

Receiving days are September 5 to 7, 2011 at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre .The Awards Presentation will be made at the opening function on September 9, 2011. The the exhibition runs till October 2 at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre, 19 Taupo Quay, Wanganui.

The Trust is grateful for the sponsorships from the Wanganui District Creative Communities NZ, Lion Foundation, Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios, and Mickey’s, in presenting the 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards. New sponsors will be announced soon.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards Planning and Preparation Underway

The 2011 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards planning and preparation is underway. The organisers are aiming for more artists and viewers than last year. This year the exhibition runs from September 9 to October 2 at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre. Hand-in dates are from September 5 to 7.

In 2010 the Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust was compelled by the judges to instigate two Certificates of Merit to complement the Best in Show Award, which the Trust is continuing with. In 2011, not only is there the prize of $500 for the Best in Show Award winner, but now new $100 prizes for each of the two Certificates of Merits winners.

To date, three sponsors have been confirmed for the 2011 event; Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios, The Lion Foundation, and Mickey's Superliquor. The trust thanks these businesses and organisations for their support.