'CERTIFIED' Exhibition
5th of November @ 4:30pm
The last show of the year and I'm Curating it. What better way to cap off the year than to showcase the up and comers from Certificate in Design and Visual Arts in Unitec? I had approached them a while back and suggested the idea to Tanith Timo and Michele Mason. They took the idea and ran with it. What amazing energy!
They formed a group to contribute works as I didn't know all of them and thought they knew each other well enough to choose a well rounded group of high achievers.
Artists
BJ Dodds
Helen Feu'u
Michele Mason
Melissa McMahon
Gill Nash
Ashlee Tawhiti
Tanith Timo
Taimania Toa
Curator
Reina Sutton
What they turned up with to showcase was nothing short of overwhelming and my lecturer Emma Smith said to me "I'm amazed at the quality and workmanship in their pieces. I'm really impressed!".
BJ Dodds had beautiful sculptures made of ceramics, wax and mixed media that she had transformed into amazing little bird like figurines. Her work originated from found pieces in her shed on Waiheke and references snippets of tartan from her motherland of Scotland. So you find bottles and taps, bolts, spanners, plugs all placed on a beautiful clean shelf in a wonderful pile which is reminiscent of how you would find it in a shed. She has cast these in wax and also turned them into ceramics. Her birds are her very latest pieces and she is most proud of these and I can see why. They are whimsical, adorable and clever. It makes you really want to pick one up and take it home. I can't wait to see what else this talented lady is going to create next!
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| Artist BJ Dodds |
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| BJs favourite bird |
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| BJs favourite ceramic piece |
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| Wax works |
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Helen Feu'u had such nostalgic pieces that they literally drew you into another time. The more you looked at her pieces, the more you could feel the presence of a loved one who had passed away. It sent a shiver down my spine when I watched her aprons float and dance with each other when the wind blew through the roller doors of The Gallows. The patterns on the material she used, the cut of the apron, the jewellery that she made, it all came together as one cohesive collection that whispered of cherished memories. The pieces were beautifully made and I would dearly have loved to have bought one of those stunning brooches she made.
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| Artist Helen Feu'u |
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| Detail of apron piece. Helen has stitched over the face to show to the viewer that the person (which in this case, is her Grandmother) has passed away. |
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| Brooches and a necklace by Helen Feu'u (hung by Reina Sutton) |
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| Add caption |
Michele Mason had two separate pieces on show - an installation/projection piece and photographic work. Masons' installation/projection piece was a tribute to a very dearly loved one who had passed away. The leaves and flowers that she used infused the room with the delicious scent of the forest. She had shaped the foliage to represent a particular star constellation where she had adopted a star in memory of her loved one. If that isn't a tribute to someones memory, I don't know what is. Above the leaves and flowers she had a projection of the full moon shining quietly and in the background she had some lovely music playing that made one think of floating in space.
The photographic series is of a friend of hers who also lost a loved one and wears his tribute of their memory, as a tattoo on his shoulder blade. The shots are strong and she received a lot of great feedback from the audience. She will be sadly missed at Unitec next year as she is flying back to England to be closer to loved ones and family but we are all anticipating what else she has to offer to the world of Art.
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| Artist Michele Mason |
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Melissa McMahon was absolutely adamant about what she was going to be making for the Product brief. It was a containment unit but not one that anybody could use in a practical way. BUT it is still a containment unit. In the shape of a heart it references how we keep our families locked in our hearts, whether its a love/hate relationship, it doesn't matter - it still contains these feelings. Made of wood and metal, the gutsy little containment unit captured a lot of hearts at the opening. Melissa had a hard time figuring out how to hang her piece up and graciously allowed me to help her hang it.
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| Artist Melissa McMahon and Heart (hung by Reina Sutton) |
Gill Nash had these lovely plush jewellery and furnishing pieces. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, brooches and a handbag/gigantic necklace were so much fun and I was lucky enough to model the bracelet at the opening. Gills cushions were displayed on two armchairs where they sat quite comfortably and enjoyed being admired by everyone. Gill was another artist who was quite happy to let me hang her work and I'm just glad that she was pleased with the end result. Showcasing her work was a wonderful challenge for me. Gill takes her inspiration from her Mothers Scottish background. Gill was born in NZ but her mother grew up in Scotland. So the Celtic knots and the tartan come together really nicely and its wonderful to see them appearing in such a domestic setting along with the jewellery.
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| Artist Gill Nash (hung by Reina Sutton) |
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Ashlee Tawhiti also has the theme of paying tribute to her Grandma. Her ceramic moulds of her Nans mirror are beautifully made and captured the past. The screenprints tell of a time where it was common for Mothers and Daughters to stay home and bake in the kitchen. The ornateness of it is also held within the colour palette that she chose - soft creams, tans and off whites all on a bed of crisp lace mats that reminded me of doilies. Ashlee didn't need any help from me and I was impressed to see her getting on with putting together her installation, she made it look effortless!
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| Artist Ashlee Tawhiti and her bundle of cuteness, daughter Marley |
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Tanith Timo is very talented at drawing and has a good eye for perspective and scale. Her pieces speak volumes about how innovative and creative she is. The lamp is stunning. Its soft curves are voluptuous, womanly and hence aesthetically appealing, the same can be said of the light it throws. Is it really possible for people to 'love lamp'? I think in this case - yes. Her framed drawing is a light hearted scene of her hometown in Auckland. If you have seen it, have a guess where it could be. Tanith has a bright future ahead of her and I'm looking forward to seeing what else she creates in the future.
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| Artist Tanith Timo (hung by Reina Sutton) |
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| A secret piece |
Taimania Toa had a familiar story to tell. Her pieces were about her family, her roots and new beginnings. I identified with her work because my work also relates to family and Uni has provided me with the opportunity of new beginnings as well. With that in mind, I asked Tai if she would mind me hanging her work. She was quite happy for me to do that and in order to really bring it together, I asked her if I could rummage around her studio for some more materials to add to her work. I was delighted to find some little gems on in her workspace and added them to her wonderfully strong painted pieces. Through all those gathered pieces her story was told with a stronger voice, backed up by her artists statement. I'm looking forward to catching up with Taimania while she is travelling down this new path in her journey.
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| Artist Taimania Toa (hung by Reina Sutton) |
The audience at the show was the biggest number we have ever had at an opening at The Gallows and I was ecstatic with the turnout! Not just for The Gallows but for the Artists that were on show. If this was going some way to encourage and nurture their enthusiasm for their natural talent, then my job as a Curator is paying off.
Reina Sutton.
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| Hehe, look at Edith smiling at being snapped |
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| I like how it looks like Nate is wearing the apron |
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| Taimania Toa, a lovely friend who came to support and Tanith Timo |
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| I checked. Thats appletise Jane is drinking. |
