FOCUS Plenty of art for spring at CAN
It’s officially spring. To celebrate, take a trip down to your favourite Community Art Centre and check out all the activities we have planned at Creative Arts Napier (CAN) for the coming months.
It won’t be long before we all start thinking about Christmas, so sneak in some creative workshops now, before the countdown commences.
First up is the first of two book binding workshops on Saturday, September 21, with local expert Terrie Reddish. If you think book binding sounds a bit dull — think again. Books come in millions of different forms and making them can be a creative process of experimentation and discovery. In Terrie’s first class you will learn how to manipulate and fold paper to make a variety of nonadhesive books from one piece of paper. You will also be taught how to make a concertina structure, also known as accordion or leporello binding. This style of book can be used to present artwork, showcase poetry, display photographs — the possibilities are endless. Participants will take away a variety of book structures. The second workshop on Saturday, November 16 will explore ‘flag books’ which also can be made in an infinite number of ways. If you book both classes, save $10, so grab your spot as numbers are limited. Contact bookings@thecan.co.nz for more information, and to book your place on this exciting new chapter of weekend workshops at CAN.
Looking ahead to the exciting Harcourt’s Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival in October, at CAN there will be a variety of free activities for you to take part in. Come and watch our new CAN mural grow, as it’s painted outside by artist Christie Wright from Tuesday, October 15, until its official launch celebration on Saturday, October 16, at the spectacular White Night event. During the festival, in the Main Gallery you will find an installation entitled Beached Forest by Susan Mabin. The installation is based on an environmental theme, and children’s workshops with Susan will be on offer to take part in constructing elements for the installation. To prepare, CAN will be organising a beach collection day on Sunday, September 15. Join us as we work to gather rubbish and materials from the beach for Susan to work her magic on, before adding to the installation. Large sacks will be provided, but please bring your own protective gloves — gardening gloves are ideal. Last Sunday, I ventured down to the stretch of Napier’s waterfront close to the Ravensdown factory and together with my 14-year-old, filled two black bin liners full of rubbish in less than an hour. There is a lot of it out there. While we picked it up, we took comfort in the thought that we were helping in a small way, by not only cleaning up the beach, but also from preventing the discarded plastic and endless fishing line from winding up in the stomach, or around the fins of a marine animal. We found everything from smashed up radios and carpet to plastic spoons. Keep an eye on the CAN Facebook page and website www.thecan.co.nz for details on the Beach Collection Day, coming soon. It’s a great opportunity for the whole family to get involved and make a difference.
Also coming up later in October is the wonderful annual Immerse exhibition and an open call for entries is out now for artists of all ages and working in all media. This year’s exhibition is called Twin Luminaries and it’s free to enter your work, so make a note to visit the Immerse website for all the information and to download an entry form — www.immerse.nz. All you need to do is find inspiration from the quotes on the website and make some beautiful art to be included in the exhibition at CAN — what could be easier?
This Friday, September 6, 5pm-7pm is the opening celebration of Don Wilkie’s exhibition of painting. Don has had a life-long passion of aircraft and making art. His meticulous research into the history of aviation painting and the realistic level of detail in his work has found a worldwide audience, with most of his work going to Australian, English and USA collections.
Some of his work is on permanent display at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland.
Self-taught, Don enjoys the challenge of setting himself new artistic goals and has added portrait, landscape and seascapes as part of his painting repertoire, including local scenes. His exhibition will be on display until Thursday, September 19.
This Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, is the muchanticipated CAN Pop-Up fundraising garage sale of artists’ materials and books. Donations of quality art materials and books are being accepted all of this week. Artists — it’s time to spring-clean that studio and make some room for a new season of art-making. Bring all your bits and bobs to us. All funds will benefit CAN, a registered charity, helping us to provide accessible arts opportunities to the community.
■ Lisa Feyen is interim manager for Creative Arts Napier (CAN), 16 Byron St. CAN is open seven days a week from Monday to Saturday, 10am4pm and Sunday, 10am-2pm. Free entry. Info: 835-9448, thecan.co.nz or Facebook.