Living Options art at thyme festival

CENTRAL Otago arts and sustainability are set for another annual round of workshops and showcases, including at a special exhibition that is a first of its type.

Artwork from about 30 artists from Living Options will feature in one of the Alexandra Thyme Festival’s many exhibitions, including some produced through art therapy and regular art classes held at the Alexandra facility.

It was the first time a Living Options exhibition had been part of the festival, and artists were excited about their work being viewed, Living Options art tutor Debbie Malcolm said.

‘‘They’ve all got their own individual styles and get a lot of satisfaction and selfconfidence from the art we do here [at Living Options]. It’s about trying to bring that [art expression] out of them.’’

The Living Options exhibition will include artworks by Andrew Wallace and Logan Winter, both of Alexandra.

Mr Wallace said his abstract pieces, which included textured artworks and seascapes, were full of colour and emotion.

‘‘Whatever I’m feeling on the day it comes out.’’

Living Options chief executive Alison Wildey said Mr Winter’s art was ‘‘full of vibrancy and colour’’.

‘‘The artwork of his that will be in the exhibition is a happy piece of art.’’

Festival coordinator Anna Robinson said the Living Options group was being joined by many other groups and artists involved in exhibitions and workshops during the annual thyme festival, which has four strands: arts, craft, sustainability and wellbeing. This year the festival’s theme is ‘‘cherishing our environment’’.

‘‘Every year we build on festival favourites and have lots of new events. We hope there’s enough in the festival programme to captivate and motivate most of our community to join in with some things or many things.’’

The festival will feature four ‘‘working artists’’ who will have dropin sessions and hold workshops during the week in Alexandra Community House, which is the festival hub.

Other festival events include daily ‘‘lunchbox conversations’’, after school workshops, lunchtime concerts and an arts trail.

The Alexandra Thyme Festival runs from October 27 to November 4.

The Living Options exhibition will run at its facility, in Ngapara St, Alexandra, from 1.30pm to 4pm from October 30 to November 2.

A For more information go to www.thymefestival.co.nz

PHOTO: PAM JONES Creative work . . . Living Options artists Logan Winter (left) and Andrew Wallace display some of the work that will feature in the Living Options Alexandra Thyme Festival exhibition. Mr Winter will exhibit the yellow painting that is behind him, and Mr Wallace will exhibit several works, including the seascape he is holding. The annual thyme festival opens this Saturday and the Living Options exhibition opens next Tuesday.