Rotorua Sculpture Symposium c2014-

New Sculpture Trail in Government Gardens 

The inaugural Sculpture Symposium was held 29th November to 12th December 2014. Organised by Rotorua District Council Community Arts advisor, Marc Spijkerbosch.  Seventeen local and national sculptors worked in stone, wood or stainless steel, including guest artist Glebos Tkachenko who traveled from Russia to take part. Daily Post 24 November 2014.

The theme chosen was 'The Returning Soldier' as part of Rotorua's commemoration of WW100

Winner : Judges selected nationally recognised sculptor Anna Korver's piece 'The White Mouse'  depicting New Zealand war hero Nancy Wake, as the winning artwork which was installed on the new Sculpture Trail in the Government Gardens, she also received $10,000 as part of her prize.   Daily Post 24 November 2014.

The Rotorua Electricity Charitable Trust purchased two more sculptures for the city by local artists, these being 'Forever Remembered' by Paul Bottomley and 'Tank Trap' by Jamie Pickernell to add to the new sculpture trail. Daily Post 28 January 2015. 

Anna Korver's piece The White Mouse
Photo courtesy of Kete Rotorua

Tank Trap by Jamie Pickernell. Photo Courtesy of Kete Rotorua

Forever Remembered by Paul Bottomley
Photo courtesy of Kete Rotorua

In 2016 the next symposium was entitled 'Sulphur Lakes Sculpture Symposium' and took place 19th to 27th November 2016. 14 artists worked in an open space and locals were encouraged to go down and watch and see the artworks take shape.

The theme this time was 'The Energy Within' capturing Rotorua's geothermal and cultural environment. As with the first symposium, the winner's creation became a permanent part of the Rotorua public art collection. 

Another 3 pieces were purchased to enhance the new boulevard in Kuirau Park, they are : Takutaimoana Harawira - Kuirau : Nigel Scanlon - Ore Ore : Peter Edwards - Te Korokoro o te Parata (Throat of the Parata). All remaining work was installed on the Sculpture Trail until the next symposium in 2018.

Winner of the 2016 Symposium was local artist Trevor Nathan with his piece 'Synergy' it "reflects the interaction between rural and urban environment and how we come together as a city to create the energy in our town"

Daily Post 23 November 2016 and 3 March 2017.

Trevor Nathan 'Synergy'
Photograph by Alison L.

In 2018 the latest Sculpture Symposium was again referred to as the 'Rotorua Sculpture Symposium' and featured 18 sculptors from New Zealand, Switzerland and Iran. 

The theme was 'Nga Wai o Rotorua - The Waters of Rotorua and was run from 16th November to 26th November.

This year's winner is Rory McDougall of Hokitika with his piece 'Waters of Rotorua' made from Taranaki Andesite Stone it represents the thirteen main bodies of water alongside the rivers and hills of the Rotorua area.

A further three pieces are being considered for purchase for the public art trail.

This year there is a People's Choice option for the first time, so get on down to the gardens and vote for your favourite, you have until 17th February 2019 to get your vote on the Creative Rotorua Facebook page
Daily Post 26th November 2018.

Photographs of a few of 2018 entries, Get your vote in now

Visit the Creative Rotorua Website to download the current Sulphur Lake Sculpture Trail Brochure
and don't forget the Rotorua Public Art Trail also has some fantastic pieces of sculpture.

This post is by Alison. All photographs of the latest entries taken by Alison.

War quilts

Anzac quilts

Te Aka Mauri is fortunate to have been lent 2 quilts made by Tracey Shepherd to commemorate the end of the First World War.

The first of these is titled Toward the Light. ..When you study this quilt you can see at the bottom the blood stained, barbed wired waters and beach. This was created by dyeing the fabric. The dull colours speak of the war-scarred ground, burnt out trees are visible. Parts of this quilt are created using old war uniforms. You can see a pocket with the blood-stained lace of his wife/sweethearts handkerchief which he carried close to his heart to remind him of home. The fabrics lighten as they rise to softer browns, and pale greens. Eventually fields of poppies, under which so many lay, appear, followed by the blue yet stormy looking sky, symbolising the end of the conflict and beginning of peace. 

The second quilt, Forgotten Son, is more personal. In the upper half of the quilt is a fabric photograph of Jesse Rogers, the great uncle from Oamaru who headed off to WW1.  Again, the colours of the ground hold images of conflict along with scattered poppies. Again, pieces of army uniforms and lace are used. To the right is Jesse’s oak tree. Jesse was killed 3 months before the end of the war and is buried in France. The town of Oamaru planted an oak for each of the local soldiers who perished in WW1. Underneath each tree is a cross with the soldier’s name. 

These quilts will are on display on the 2^nd floor of Te Aka Mauri, near the Discovery Space/ Heritage and Research area for the month of November. Please come and view the quilts and other items, such as old newspapers announcing Armistice, that are also on display.

Thanks to Tracey Shepherd for lending the quilts for display. This post is by Trish.

Rotorua Festival of Arts

Rotorua Festivals, Old to New

Rotorua’s 1^st Festivals were held 1966 -1970s, when the Rotorua Arts Society staged events, exhibitions 1946- and in the 1960s the Arts Ball was a regular annual event.

In 1946 a Rotorua Music Appreciation Group was formed by Mr James (Jim) Healy, an avid classical music fan who had just recently moved to Rotorua.

Mr Healy said that “up 70 people came along to the Music Appreciation Group’s monthly meetings to listen to classical music records” however once records became more available to numbers dwindled, this group became the Rotorua Chamber Music Society in 1955, this later became the Rotorua Music Federation in 1980.’

 In 1984, 1986 & 1988, FestivArt, was a popular event. See previous blog post 12 October 2017 

The next official Festival of the Arts was ‘Spellbound – Te Ihi Te Wehi’, Produced by: Monty Morrison and Asst. Producer: Nick Dallimore. Held 12^th January 2001-27^th January 2001. 

This new Festival of the Arts encompassed 4 events – Chamber Music Festival, Lakeside ENZSO Concert, Opera in the Pa and for the 1^st time A Capella Festival of Song.

Programme of the 2001 Arts Festival.

The Chamber Music Festival at the Convention Centre.  Jan 15^th 2001 - Jan 19^th 2001.

 🎶 Featured: Ogen Trio : Dimitri Atanassov, James Tennant & Katherine Austin with backup instrumentalists. Summer Music was commissioned by the Ogen Trio for their concert which launched the Rotorua Summer Music Festival in 2000.

🎵 St Luke’s Festival Orchestra 🎵Newly formed String Ensemble with players from around the B.O.P. Conducted by Joachim Atanassov ♪ Duo Deirdre Ions and Jan Tawroszewicz 🎵Soprano – Deborah Wai Kapohe, 🎵Mezzo Soprano – Kate Spence ♪ Violinist - Bistra Dimitrova 🎵Stravinsky’s The Soldiers Tale narrated by actor Paul Barrett 🎵Rotorua Youth Chamber Orchestra ♪ Goldner String Quartet from Sydney ♪

Lakeside ENZSO Concert:  20^th January 2001. 

🎶 Featuring: Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra with ENZSO ♪ Tim Beveridge🎵Margaret Urlich ♪ Annie Crummer ♪ Daryl Lovegrove ♪ Eddie Raynor ♪ Hayley Westenra ♪ Michael Barker ♪ Roger Rangitaawa ♪ Noel Crombie ♪ New Zealand National Youth Choir.

Opera in the Pa at Rotowhio Marae: 27^th Jan 2001

 🎶 Featuring :  Natasha Brown ♪ Paul Chappory ♪ Brandon Pou ♪ Terri Williams ♪ Bill Kingi, ♪ Ruakiri Fairhall   

                                           
A Cappella Festival of song: 27^th January 2001. 

🎶 Featured: “Idea of North” from their website - In short, a quartet of musicians, serious about their music without taking themselves too seriously.  Their instrumentation: voice (soprano), voice (alto), voice (tenor) and voice (bass), with a little bit of vocal percussion thrown in. They have a beautifully distinct sound and style, but they cross many musical genres: jazz, folk, gospel, pop, classical, comedy - exactly what you see and hear at a concert is difficult to describe.     

AND...                                                                         

Bijou : Vocal trio of Jane Pierard, Lynda Pipe and Viva Sahn offering Jazz lovers a Jam session & a Themed Dinner at the Millennium Hotel on 24th & 25th January 2001. 

AboutFace Productions.  Roaming Performance - from 19th to 21st January 2001.

http://www.aboutfaceproductions.com.au/street-theatre.html

Gait Productions Urban Safari show. 20th & 21st January 2001.

Out of Hand Productions - The Miss Muffet Show and Puppet Power at the Civic Theatre. 16th to 18th January 2001.

Celine Toner (from Scotland) performing as Shania Twain at the Civic Theatre 23rd January 2001.

IOV Folk Dancers 20th & 21st January 2001.

Toi Maori Aotearoa 'Beyond Tradition' exhibition at the Convention Centre 13th to 27th January 2001.

Suzuki Students Parade and Summer Camp for Strings Concert 13th & 15th January 2001.

Dancing in the Sky Windsock and Bunting Flag Art with Jill Walker & Brian Potiki.  

Information for this blog post from the Daily Post and Rotorua Library Archive Collection.

Rotorua's Arty Makeovers.

Fish Out of Water 2017/2018 

12 New designs and some new artists have contributed this year along with your favourite artists of previous years fishy 'tales'. 

From this

Princess Fishy 2016

To this

The Red Baron 2017

And Unison Box Makeovers 2017, 'The Rotorua Experience'.

From This

Unison Box by Jill Walker & Simon Stanway

To This

Unison Box by Paul X Walsh 2017

'Creative Rotorua' is responsible for the new and vibrant makeovers in the CBD and the annual Fish Out of Water competition. There are also the Sulphur Lake Sculpture Trail and the Rotorua Public Art Trail along with other seasonal events which you can find here

The Arts Village is responsible for these amazing events, The 200 Show and Open Studio's Project. Also they have studio's rented out to local art groups, craft classes and more

Not forgetting the Rotorua Museum. There are still events and exhibitions on around the city so look out for those.

Rotorua Arts and Crafts

Rotorua's Art Scene 1980s onward

Te Arawa Collective Artists Trust

Te Arawa Maori Trust, Pukuatua Street designed and painted by Alan Rikihana only finished c1983 - Obliterated by new shops built on that wall story in Daily Post,   26.5.1984, 5.12.1984, 4.1.1985. The top part of the mural can still be seen on the wall of this building, most of which is untenanted. 
Was this Rotorua's first mural on a building? 

Mural on the front walls and ceiling of the Telephone Exchange DP 18.7.1985 also by Alan Rikihana, Jo Rikihana and Wayne Prue.

The Mural on the Police Station by painted by artist Dave Roberts in Daily Post 21 May 1987.
Source - Don Stafford File:  Arts 1984 p. 3 & 14, 1985 p. 1, 16, 24-27. 

Photograph courtesy of Kete Rotorua, taken 21 May 2012.

FestivArt (Rotorua’s Bi-ennial cultural festival)  1st March 1984 featuring the Aramoana Maori Fashion Pageant, performances by NZ Ballet, Gary McCormick and Hammond Gamble and a showing of rare NZ Films. Festival ran for 4 days.  

5^th March 1986 held for 2 weeks, see DP 04 Mar 1986

Source: Don Stafford File: Arts, 1986 pg. 4-6.

FestivArt 88 was held on the first weekend of April and ran for one week. Featured entertainment was Royal New Zealand Ballet, Limbs Dance Company, a screening of rare films of Rotorua from the New Zealand Film Archive, the National Golden Clef Awards, Auckland Opera Quartet, an evening with comedian Margo O'Mahoney, Northland Youth Theatre production and Schola Musica. Along with lunch time concerts at St Luke's, evening concerts by Rotorua's top bands at the Band Rotunda and several schools held street festivals in Tutanekai Mall.  See Daily Post 30th March 1988 pg. 26 for full story.

Was there a FestivArt in 1990, if so when was it held and does anyone know when this festival ceased?. Email us at Heritage & Research

   Lakeland Progressive Arts Society  c.1996-2003

Formed April 1996 in Daily Post Weekender, 4 Apr 1996 p. 8 

'New arts society for Bay of Plenty artists'  
A new arts society is being established in Rotorua this month by a collective of artists in the Bay of Plenty. The Lakeland Progressive Art Society is holding it's first general meeting on April 10 in Wohlmann House and organiser Shana Ridell, says "their visual arts group promises to be the most exciting thing that has ever hit the Bay of Plenty for aspiring artists or established professionals. Hopefully it'll be written about one day in the art history textbooks of New Zealand"

Other stories : Weekender 16 Jan 1996 p.4, 28 May 1996,  17 Apr 1998, Weekender 9 Oct 1198, p.4, 25 Nov 1998 p.12 exhibition in Library. Jan 1999 Educational Suppl  pg.3, Apr 1999 p.4, Weekender 6 Apr 2001.

Source: Rotorua Library, Daily Post Index.

Art in the Park 1998- present

An annual event that began with the first, held 14^th February 1998.  In DP 14/2/98 p.2, 16 Feb 1998 p.1, 19 Feb 1998 p.1. Source: Rotorua Library, Daily Post Index.
The event is held at the Government Gardens every February.

Excerpt from the Daily Post 14th February 1998, p.2
'Art and music galore at park event' by Abigail Caspari
'There will be arts and music galore at Rotorua's first Art in the Park at Government Gardens from 10 am to 4 pm tomorrow. Member of the Rotorua Community Arts Council and one of the organisers, Joan Minty, said "the idea if the free Art in the Park was first broached a year ago" The aim of the day, which Joan Minty hopes will become an annual event, is to give artists the opportunity to show off their work with several demonstrating their talents. It will also give Rotorua residents the chance to check out some of the city's artistic talent'

R.A.V.E  2002-renamed The Arts Village

www.artsvillage.org.nz

Daily Post 29 Nov 1996 p.3, 4 Feb 1997 p.2, 26 Aug 1997 p.1, 28 Aug 1999 p.20, 21 Sep 1999 p.3

18 Mar 2000 p.3, 02 Aug 2000 p. 1, 13 Sep 2000 p.3 Opening 16 Nov 2002 by Steve Chadwick.
Source: Rotorua Library, Daily Post Index.

Excerpt from Daily Post 29th November 1996 p.3
'Arts village for Rotorua' by Toni Skiffington.
'An arts village may be set up in Rotorua and an arts worker employed in the city following the go ahead from the Rotorua District Council to investigate these options'

Wohlmann House becomes the Rotorua Arts Village - 2002.
Photograph courtesy of Kete Rotorua.
Taken December 2012 by Alison Leigh

Rotorua Arts: a brief history 1946-1980

The Beginning for Rotorua Artists 

Rotorua Society of Arts 1946-1980.

Formed by Dr W. S. Wallis in October 1946 – Excerpt from report by Debbie Glasgow for the Community Arts Council, Aut., 1985.

Foundation member’s held meetings in private homes at first to discuss and assess their latest work.  Then in the Occupational Therapy room at Queen Elizabeth Hospital where Dr Wallis was the Medical Superintendent at the time. Exhibitions were held annually and displayed in the old St Luke’s Hall, the Ritz Hall and St John's Hall etc.

They also held outdoor exhibitions on Fenton Street around the P.R.O on wire netting fences.
              

Art festivals were held 1966, 1967, 1975, 1976 & 1978.

After Doctor Wallis died in 1957, the group held together and continued to stage annual exhibitions until 1980, when they were forced into recess due to a lack of active support.  The collection of 58 paintings, held by the group was gifted to the New Rotorua Art Gallery in the Tudor Towers north wing.

Other events run by the Rotorua Arts Society:

Arts Ball 1963-1965 in Rotorua Photo News 14^th Dec 1963, pg. 37-39 ; 1^st August 1964 pg.13-15 & 5^th July 1965, pg. 24-25.

Annual Arts Ball in Rotorua Photo News 14th Dec 1963, pg.38
Photographer Michael Burton

Weekend Art Class in Rotorua Photo News, 5^th Jul 1969, p.24-25, and Rotorua Arts Society Competition – Winner 27^th Sept 1969 pg. 68.

Other Arts & Artists: see Chronological order in Don Stafford’s 'Arts' folder.  

• Rotorua's first private art gallery; 'Scholes' at Whakarewarewa opened by the Director of the Auckland Art Gallery, Mr Peter Tomery, in Daily Post  23.2.1963 
• Public Library held art exhibitions also. In Daily Post 13.11.1959 - Italian art & books ;   Daily Post 31.8.1965 - Children's art competition.
• New art group 'Studio One' formed for those under 26 yrs, in Daily Post 13.4.1966
• Rotorua Arts & Crafts Club formed, in Daily Post 25.6.1975 p.22
• Official opening of the new Art Gallery in Tudor Towers, in Daily Post 12.10.1977; John Perry appointed as Curator 5.9.1978. See the Daily Post index on the Rotorua Library online Catalogue.
• Rotorua District Community Arts Council formed, in Daily Post 6.7.1978           

Sources: Don Stafford File: Arts pg. 1-3, 1946, 1949, 1964 (1 & 4), 1966, 1967(3), 1973 & 1980. Doctor W. S. Wallis - Events 1957(1) and BIO W7-8e which contains his Obituary & articles from Art NZ v.13, 1979, p. 36-39 and v. 22 Summer 1981/2, p.34-35 by M.N. Day.

Daughter:  Mrs Ynys Fraser – NZ Herald 5^th June 1987 – exhibition of Dr Wallis’s work at Rotorua Art Gallery.                                                                                                                                                                                     

More information about Dr Wallis can be found in Don Stafford’s Folders - Medical 69; Town 204-5; and War 1945(1).

Rotorua Photo News 1963-1969, Arts Ball.  

Fish out of water?

Rotorua's Fish out of water competition popular as ever!

This competition is in it's 10th Year is just as popular and well supported as the 1st one in the summer of 2006-2007.  

The map shows the locations of where each 'fish' was during the competition.

The competition has finished for the summer and the judges have made their selection.

Below is a small sample of this year's entries.

 

To see previous year's entries got to our online archive Kete Rotorua

Annual "Fish out of Water" Competition

Rotorua artists, Fishy Art

As I walk around town at the moment I see colourful,  thought provoking 'fish' in shop doorways, at the I-site and RAVE. This competition never ceases to amaze and amuse me each year, there are wonderful creations by Rotorua Artists, Children and Clubs and I look forward to seeing what they come up with.

Kiri Jarden, past Rotorua Community Arts Officer, organised the 1st "Fish out of Water" community arts project in 2007 and it was such a success the project is now run annually.

The 'blank fish' are provided  by Rotorua Lakes Council, Creative Rotorua, and are decorated by artists, clubs and children. The 'fish' are displayed around the centre of town for approximately 2 months giving locals a chance to see them all and vote for their favourite fish.

In 2007 the Rotorua District Library entered and had a lot of fun decorating "Puka the fish" designed by Sue Heke, and in 2008 Fletcher Fish designed and decorated by Ellie Marshall and Vanessa Fisher.

Puka the fish

Previous years entries can be seen on the Library's Community Online Archive Kete Rotorua


Kete Rotorua is for the whole Rotorua Community to add photographs, histories of Rotorua people and places, artists portfolios and more.  Why not register today and start adding your memories to Rotorua's rich history, including what's happening in Rotorua now in our community for future residents of our great city to enjoy.