Aratoi in Masterton hosts Regional Embroiderers’ Exhibition
How many stitches make up an exhibition? Over the next two weeks, Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of History is hosting a phenomenal display of fine embroidery, with thousands and thousands of stitches.
Every two years, the Wairarapa Embroidery Guild holds an exhibition at the museum. It is always very popular, and friendly: members of the Guild are at hand to welcome people and answer questions.
The 2019 exhibition opens to the public on Friday evening, September 13th, at 5.30pm, with Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson as officiating guest.
The biennial exhibition continues at Aratoi until September 28th, open daily, 10am – 4pm, free entry.
This year, the exhibition has two parts – work by Wairarapa embroiderers over the past two years, judged by Lyn Wyeth. The local guild has 35 members.
The second part is the Cook Strait Regional Guilds’ Exhibition, titled “Environment”, featuring 45 pieces of work by members of six guilds: Horowhenua, Kapiti, Mana, Upper Hutt, Wairarapa and Wellington – there are over 200 members in the Cook Strait Region.
“Environment” is a Viewers’ Choice exhibition: visitors can vote for their favourite work.
Jenny Cox, Wairarapa Embroiderers’ Guild President, said there is a huge range of stitches represented in the two exhibitions: “Bayeux (from France), Kantha (India), crewel, candlewicking, faux or nui, and many, many more.”
Jenny has been involved with the Guild for 15 years. “I absolutely love it. We all love it. We’re very active, with four gatherings every month, in Masterton. We welcome members, offering demonstrations, workshops, a subscription to a biannual magazine, a comprehensive library and opportunities to visit other Guilds in the region.”
In July 2020, Masterton will host the national conference of the Association of New Zealand Embroiderers’ Guild, with a special exhibition at Aratoi.