Artist’s experiences in Manawatu¯
Guided about the district by hosts Joan and Kevin McIntyre, Martina Havlova from the Czech Republic has been exposed to a variety of experiences in her first 10 days since her arrival as the Lindauer Woodville artist in residence. Her camera has run hot capturing impressions of the Manawatu¯ .
She is completing her Masters Degree in Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art — University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Czech Republic.
She wants to follow the course of the Manawatu¯ River from its headwaters to the sea capturing with her camera and sketching the characteristics of the river both natural and cultural, identifying how they change in time and place.
Already she has kayaked the Manawatu¯ Gorge with experienced paddler Max Grant and his daughter Melanie of Quality Kayaks, inspected Ferry Reserve, watched a sheep being shorn, walked the new highway on Saturday, visited Foxton Beach to see the Manawatu¯ reach the sea. Martina lives in a landlocked country and is seeing the ocean, driftwood and the colours of sky and water.
She also enjoyed her kayak trip in the Manawatu¯ Gorge, saying it gave her a totally different perspective from walking the new highway on Saturday.
Human impact — the new bridge, the Motu floodgates, the whare along the river — were of interest and Martina is intrigued by the history and is delving into council archives to see how human impact has changed the river.
Two weeks into her threemonth stay Martina says New Zealand has the feeling of an island, has far fewer people and seems very far away from her home.
She is keen to produce a book of her impressions with photographs, illustrations and paintings. The public will be able to view her findings at an exhibition opening from February 29.