There are currently two fascinating exhibitions to be seen at Northart. 

One is an all-women show by six mid-career artists: Jo Dalgety, Sonja Drake, Gayle Forster, Lindsey Kirk, Merthyr Ruxton and Susan Thomas. Their work is an eclectic but captivating mix of styles, from landscape imagery through to modernist abstraction. The other is a small solo show, ‘Colour’, by Devonport artist, Beverley Rae. Her works depict marginalised Aborigine women, and portray a sense of loss, dependency and isolation. Beverley has a family ties to Australia and the highly colourful Australian landscape, with its sulphur heaps, white gum trees and red earth, and its unique wildlife has always fascinated her.

While the group exhibition continues until May 15, ‘Colour’ closes 8 May and will be replaced by ‘Touch of Korea’, the annual exhibition of the New Zealand Korea Fine Arts Association. Seventeen members of the group are exhibiting this year; painting, print making, sculpture will all feature. All 17 artists live and work in Aoreatroa/New Zealand, and  have retained strong links with home country and enjoy sharing their art and culture. Do come along and meet the exhibiting artists at the opening function on Saturday 11 May, 4pm. 

The very moving installation of images depicting each of the fourteen Stations of the Cross, which was in the gallery windows until Easter, has been replaced with a series of paintings by Dominque Baker, Frank van Schaik and Garry Currin, bronze sculpture by Phil Neary  and clay sculpture by Siân Davis. They remain on display until 17 May.

A Drawings and Works on Paper exhibition, sponsored by Gordon Harris The Art and Graphic Store,  opens to the public on 20 May. (The opening function will be held on Sunday 19 at 4pm.) This highly popular show is an annual feature and includes the work of some of Northart’s most accomplished and senior artists,  including Robert Ellis, Garry Currin, Ross Ritchie, Alistair Nisbet-Smith and John Nicol. The lineup also includes mid-career painters such as Rosemary Theunissen, Sharon Vickers and Lindsey Kirk among others.  

Opening the same night is a collection of mostly small sculpture by acclaimed designer Logan Brewer (1945 – 2015), drawn from his Waitematā series, as well as a number of highly coloured reliefs which were a precursor to the series. First shown at Northart in 2013, the Waitematā works were described by art historian Amy Stewart as “the perfect balance between simplicity, complexity, and sheer easy beauty”.  

Following the closure of ‘Touch of Korea’, ‘roinn’ (Scottish Gaelic for ‘share’) opens on Sunday 26 May. Curated by Fiona Lee Graham, it includes works by eight artists, all women and all from Auckland. 

So a lot to see and enjoy at Northart this month. We look forward to seeing you in the gallery, 

For further information and details on Gallery Time for Kids and Movie nights, go to www.northart.co.nz or contact the gallery.