Artist plants glittering roots with gold tree

The artist who planted a glitter tree in Pukekura Park two years ago has put down his own roots in New Plymouth.

Reuben Paterson - the artist who planted a 4.5 metre high, goldglittered tree - fell in love with Taranaki and made his artistic residency a permanent one.

Though Paterson moved here about two years ago, the creative muse for this year’s World of WearableArt ( WOW) thinks he’s New Plymouth’s best kept secret.

‘‘I’m not yet known here, so this is an outing and a shouting,’’ he said. ‘‘An outing for me and a shout out to the Women’s Refuge’s event.’’

Paterson is painting a new twinkling piece worth upwards $17,000 for the Taranaki Women’s Refuge Art Auction in October, but thinks he could raise more if people were familiar with his work.

Paterson left Auckland after he fell in love with New Plymouth during his artist residency in 2014.

‘‘There is such a community spirit here,’’ he said.

‘‘I had such a connection to the area and the people.’’

And when the gigantic golden tree went up, Paterson was officially rooted to Taranaki.

‘‘Govett-Brewster bought the piece and I used the money to buy my house here in New Plymouth.’’

Paterson chases the shimmer in nature, which is evident in his twinkling designs.

‘‘Nature is just naturally glittery and I think that’s one of the links to my work.’’

Nicknamed ‘Reubicorn’ by friends, Paterson said some people pictured unicorns and rainbows when they thought of glitter.

‘‘Every exhibit, I try to prove that materials are not limited to what we think they’re limited to,’’ he said.

‘‘That’s why I love glitter. I can prove there’s more to it than we allow.’’

The Women’s Refuge event on October 7 will be at the Novotel Hotel, but event coordinator Sherryl Henning said they would take bids before the official auction.