Gallery seriously quirky, fun

Bringing a bit of the ‘naive’ to Te Aroha

Decking the walls of the latest attraction to appear in the small Waikato town of Te Aroha, there is an array of eye-catching textures, themes and colour.

Avoiding the ‘‘serious’’ side of art spaces was what owners Ross and Janet Miller had envisioned for their fun and quirky gallery.

‘‘We didn’t want to be just a white cube gallery . . . we want to make it home-like,’’ said Ross.

The Millers have always been collectors at heart.

Before owning their Te Aroha gallery, they had 50 years in the book trade business, collecting and selling books.

When the pandemic kicked in, the pair initially decided to retire, but that was short-lived, and they figured winding down just wasn’t for them.

‘‘What I like is we’re proving that if you’re in your late 70s you don’t have to settle down; we can do just what we like really,’’ said Ross.

The Whitaker gallery was home to ‘‘naive’’ art in particular, which the Millers were fond of because of its unique style.

Since its official opening in early April, the Millers say the gallery has had a positive reception from the local community, with a variety of pieces from artists Ian Mune, Ra Stucki, Pamela Wolfe and Ans Westra on show.

‘‘We educate a lot of people in Te Aroha about naive art, which is art made by untrained artists.

‘‘They are artists who start painting in their older years,’’ Ross said.

‘‘We want to have very different art shows. They won’t be conservative . . . but they will be things that have an impact,’’ Janet said.

The Millers said although Covid-19 had put many businesses in a vulnerable position, they were at a stage in their lives where the financial benefits weren’t as much of a priority and they wanted to focus on the fun and enjoyment of art. The Whitaker gallery was a passion project that allowed them to connect with the local community.

‘‘For us, we have a passion for our art, and we have a passion for people and sort of unusual stuff and this is our opportunity,’’ Janet said.

‘‘This is our chance to contribute to Te Aroha which we absolutely love.’’

Works by local artist Gloria Hodge are expected to be shown during the gallery’s next exhibition.

‘‘What I like is we’re proving that if you’re in your late 70s you don’t have to settle down; we can do just what we like really.’’

Ross Miller

MARK TAYLOR/STUFF Ross and Janet Miller have recently opened the fun and quirky Whitaker Gallery. The gallery is currently displaying works by Ra Stucki, below left, and by actor and artist Ian Mune, below right.