Small school hosts big art names
Tasman School may be small, but when it comes to an art auction, it thinks big.
Well-known artists from the region have donated pieces to the school’s biennial Art Bid Win event - but it’s not all about what can be hung on the wall or put on the mantelpiece.
Works up for grabs include ceramics, furniture, jewellery, paintings, photography, sculpture and textiles, totalling about $150,000 worth of art.
Art Bid Win organiser and parent Anna Simpson said the artists had been given the option of donating 30 to 100 per cent of the final auction price. A few had chosen 100 per cent, while many had opted to donate half.
More than 40 established artists are supporting the cause, including Nic Moon, Robin Slow, Stephen Howard, Darryl Frost, Katie Gold, Mark Fa’avae, Lloyd Harwood, Craig Potton, Marion Towns and Peter Geen.
The auction runs over a number of weeks in three parts, starting with an online auction which began in October.
The 62 pieces will be exhibited for a week in Tasman before a live auction evening is held on November 17, with 20 of the pieces open to bidding. The event promises to be a night of entertainment, wine, food and ‘‘stunning art’’.
Simpson said she hoped to raise $30,000. The money could go towards art supplies, getting a performing arts teacher in, and music recording equipment.
‘‘Because we’re such a small school that’s grown really quickly, we’ve run out of space – we need places to store art equipment.’’
Any remaining funds would be used
to get the school pool ready for summer.
Visit artbidwin.co.nz to see the online bidding, closing November 17 at 6pm. The exhibition will be held from November 10-16 at Darryl Frost’s Frost & Fire gallery, 107 Harley Rd, Tasman, with the live auction evening also at the gallery on November 17 from 6pm. For more information, visit artbidwin.co.nz.