Opua Arts Studio and Gallery Last Days

About a year and a half ago I became an art gallery owner.  It wasn't something I'd ever wanted to be, but it was a way for me to get a studio space close to my home (boat) and form closer connections to the local art community, so I took the opportunity and jumped in wholeheartedly.

The view from upstairs in my studio.

I had the use of a commercial office space while it had no tenant, but now, I'm very sad to report, my landlords have found a permanent commercial tenant.  That means that Opua Arts is no longer as of 31 October 2016.  The landlords have been great, and they wrote me the nicest notice of termination that I've ever received.

I considered making a little voodoo doll of the new tenant when I first received the news.  The thought of using the doll as a pincushion was very appealing!  And the worry about where I would work was a bit overwhelming.  But in truth, I've been expecting the news ever since I moved in.  It's a gorgeous space and Opua is an up and coming area with a new Marina expansion in progress and a general upturn of the Northland economy.

So then I got to accepting the idea.  And do you know what really made me accept it?  My electric jug died.  Isn't it weird how a little thing like that can change your perception?  My jug (or kettle if you like) was given to me when I moved into the studio and I realised I'd need to make cups of tea.  Mathea, a fellow textile artist, gave me her spare one from when she had a studio.

It started playing up right around the time I got the news.  I'd switch it on and it wouldn't go.  I'd jiggle the connections and it would come right.  It got worse and worse and it got me realising how maybe the jug was done.  And that got me thinking about how maybe I was done.  Maybe this was a sign that all good things come to an end and it was time for something new.

I've had fun in the studio and gallery.  I've enjoyed curating exhibitions.  I've met wonderful people at my weekly stitch and bitch sessions.  And I've learnt so, so much.  But it's time to move on.  Now that I'm over the disappointment, I'm really looking forward to having a break from the gallery work and being able to concentrate solely on my artwork.

Memories of Flight by Charlotte Scott

And I've found a new studio space too!  More on that in my next post.

New Exhibition Opening at Opua Arts

It's so exciting hanging an exhibition.  When you see your plan coming together, the artworks complementing each other and the space filling with beautiful and interesting things.

I spent Friday hanging (with the help of a few buddies - thanks guys!) and by Friday evening I was ready for a glass of wine and to stand back and admire.

Now I get to work in this space and absorb the art for another six weeks or so.  And then it's time to do it all again.

The artists are: Malcolm Inglis (painter), Brownwyn Harford (weaver), Jane Shaw (ceramicist), Andy Cogar (wood and photography), Ingrid McLennan (thread painting), Adrienne Barrie (fibre artisan) and myself - textile artist.

The bonus of being the gallerist is that I get to fill any empty spaces with a piece of my own work! 

I also have a more 'whimsical' corner this time.

My hand dyed fabrics and threads fit in nicely here with all the colours.  

So now it's back to work for me.  I'm within cooee of finishing the quilting on my heron reflection quilt from a couple of posts ago.

Happy Sunday everyone, and if you're up this way come visit me in the gallery.  I'm on the Opua Wharf, you can't miss me, and I'll even make you a cuppa.