Family success at Franklin Arts Festival evening
It was a visual feast for art-lovers, as the Franklin Arts Festival’s awards evening took to the Pukekohe Town Hall on Friday night.
The event is a highlight for Franklin’s artists every year, as it showcases the work not only of Franklin artists but artists from throughout New Zealand.
Now in its 28th year, with more than $28,000 in prize money, this year’s event saw a 50 per cent increase in entries with over 1000 exhibits.
Categories include painting, photography, pottery and ceramics, print and paper works, woodcraft, glass, sculpture, textile art and youth.
Mt Eden’s Debbie McLachlan, who teaches photography and printmaking at ACG Senior College, took away the coveted supreme award with her still life solarplate etching called Nesting - which also won first prize in the printmaking section.
And her win was made even more special after her 17-year-old son Fin won the youth section with his photography entry.
McLachlan said she was ‘‘speechless’’ after taking the top honour - the first prize she has ever won.
‘‘A friend who is in a printmaking group in Pukekohe convinced me to enter. I’m gobsmacked. We got the phone call to come, and we thought maybe there was a consolation prize.’’
McLachlan said her etching was made up of little bird nests and skulls.
‘‘I love the old antique-ness of it. I did a photography project around it.
‘‘I thought I’d try and make it into a print as printmaking is quite new to me. I started teaching textiles a few years ago and that led into it.’’
McLachlan said she then made silk paper and burnt holes in it to create an antique, vintage feel.
‘‘There's so much work here and you feel so privileged to win - I can't believe it.’’
‘‘There’s so much work here and you feel so privileged to win - I can’t believe it.’’
The festival runs till September 10 at the Pukekohe Town Hall and Franklin Arts Centre.
The festival is run by The Franklin Arts Festival Society, which formed in 1989 as a nonprofit organisation.
Sponsorship and prizes predominantly come from local businesses or individuals.
The festival is open from 9.30am till 4.30pm each day, with a 2pm close on the Sunday. Entry is $7 and kids are free. Works on display will be available to buy.