Little Jewels 2016

Adam West-Watson is a little bit gutted following the opening of the 'Little Jewels' exhibition at Aratoi on Friday: 'I've been trying for six years to get one of (King Street manager) Ian Chapman's paintings but each time they get snapped up on opening night.”'
 
As an Aratoi staff member, West-Watson is not allowed to buy on opening night and must not divulge who has created the anonymously hung artworks. But Chapman's style and subject matter is quickly recognisable, so he's in no doubt that he's missed the boat again.
 
Leigh Hay of Greytown took 'all of three seconds' to choose her artwork - a painting of a black Labrador that looks very like her own dog Jazz. 'I'm really impressed with the amount of work that has gone into this, and lots of others on display. It shows the generosity of so many Wairarapa artists in donating them. I'm not sure if this would happen in Auckland!'
 
One hundred and seventeen artworks were on sale on the night -  created by both established professional and amateur artists -  and over half have already sold, making this a highly successful fundraiser for the Friends of Aratoi. All money raised goes to Aratois acquisition fund, which enables the purchase of new works by local artists. The last day of the exhibition is 4 Dec.
 
Petrus van der Velden exhibition opens with curator's talk
 
Petrus van der Velden is perhaps best known in New Zealand for his paintings of our majestic scenery, particularly scenes of a mountain stream in Otira that he painted 11 times in two years. He was an established painter in The Netherlands, when he came to live in New Zealand in 1890, and the show also features sketches and paintings of the fishermen and women of Marken, for which he is also well known.
 
This Saturday at 2pm, Dr Rebecca Rice, Te Papa curator, will look at his artistic legacy and how he influenced NZ artists to inject more feeling into their landscapes. She will also explore how his approach to his art shifted when he came to New Zealand, as he found inspiration in the rugged landscape of the Southern Alps.
 
Petrus van der Velden: Art of two halves, 26 November 2016 – 5 February 2017. Dr Rice talk, Sat 26 Nov at 2pm.

The ‘Little Jewels’ exhibition features a huge diversity of small scale artworks.