Art Expo draws crowds
Children could be overheard asking, ‘‘How do they do that?’’ while the grownups appreciated walls of creations at Art Expo Nelson.
The event spanned three days at the Trafalgar Centre and finished yesterday, displaying more than 1000 pieces of art by over 110 New Zealand artists.
Colourful life-sized resin pigs captured the attention of patrons at the door before young and old stood back to admire the other creations on show, including bold acrylic canvases, lifelike native bird paintings, recognisable scenes and abstract art.
The event is now in its seventh year of showcasing artists’ work. Nic Foster created it in 2012 after the Christchurch earthquakes took 20 galleries down.
Foster said about 5000 people entered the doors over the three days, ‘‘drawing lots of people into the region’’.
A couple travelled from Dunedin every year to visit the Art Expo, he said.
‘‘They literally save their pennies and rather than go on holiday, come to Nelson.’’
He said there was ‘‘a real mixture’’ of art on display, with fresh faces to the art world offering their wares.
A variety of materials was used in the pieces – trays replaced canvases, wood and stones created simple yet effective scenes, bronze ornaments were a twist on ceramic ones, and three-dimensional heads were mounted with lightbulbs.