Natural world shared in mixed media exhibition
Alove of paper and ink combined with storytelling drives the work of printmaker Renee Hadlow.
‘‘My work emerges from collections of stories.’’ Hadlow says. ‘‘Small, little narratives that accumulate over time and reflect our experience of how we see the world. The artwork is the binding element that unites our stories.’’
Hadlow’s works feature in the Atkins Gallery group exhibition Flora and Fauna. The eight artists from Nelson and West Coast, working in mixed media, are Hadlow, Lynette Graham, Chris Lewis, Robert Thompson, William Gordon, Alison Horn, Ruth Vaega and Donna Brydon.
A printmaking graduate from Elam School of Art in Auckland, Hadlow developed skills in intaglio, relief, lithography and screen printing.
‘‘Elam was a multi-disciplinary environment when I attended so I worked in other departments too, particularly woodworking,’’ she says. ‘‘I also studied Maori material culture and museology.’’
Previously Hadlow studied craft design for two years at Christchurch Polytech, which also offered a multi-disciplinary programme. Her three works in Flora and Fauna feature two paper cut out etchings and woodcuts and one paper cut work.
‘‘My creative approach is to find the tension in a narrative,’’ Hadlow says. ‘‘An audience will draw on their own collection of lived moments, ideas and experiences when viewing a work. Ultimately, it’s about creating a memorable image.’’
Having moved from Wanaka with her son in March, she is still settling into and enjoying the larger and more diverse art community in Nelson. She would like to establish a printmaking and letterpress workshop to continue to work on commercial print projects as well as exhibition work.
Reefton ceramic artist Chris Lewis makes functional domestic ware, some are wheel thrown while others are hand slab built combinations. He incorporates his early training in England as a screen printer into his ceramic works.
‘‘I try not to have a fixed decorative style,’’ says Lewis. ‘‘My one-off free form pieces, often having a slip screen print applied before forming. The print becomes part of the piece in glaze.’’
Lewis came to Reefton from England 42 years ago. In 1980 he began a pottery course at the local high school, tutored by the late Pieter Bolten, an accomplished sculptor.
He felt completely at home with clay and its processes and has built kilns and made ceramics in his garden setting ever since. He aims to create works that give pleasure, could last for thousands of years and do not harm the environment.
‘‘My workshop is located in a small township steeped in gold mining history, the bush and river at my doorstep,’’ Lewis says. ‘‘These surroundings, in many ways, make up for the isolation sometimes felt. I feel privileged to be able to work in this environment.’’
Flora and Fauna, group exhibition, Atkins Gallery, Dowson’s Arcade, Bridge St. Opens tonight 5pm, all welcome, to August 31.