Benefits for all with new Space gallery

Ready for the next exhibition at Space are Craig Winton, Leonie Sharp and Sarah Williams.
PHOTO / Paul Brooks

The new Space Studio and Gallery on the corner of Taupo Quay and St Hill St is proving popular with artists and art lovers.

With its big exhibition area divided into three galleries, and its extended opening hours, owner Sarah Williams sees multiple benefits for everyone.

The new line-up of exhibitions opens with art by local artists Leonie Sharp and Craig Winton and Cam Munroe from Kapiti.

"That's the joy of this new Space," says Sarah. "You get three solo shows at once, and they're all very focused shows. These artists have worked very hard to put this together and it's nice to have Cam joining us from outside of Whanganui. Craig is in Gallery One, Cam in Gallery Two and Leonie in the pop-up gallery.

"We have switched to a Wednesday night opening [previously Saturday]. Coming into a new Space was a good time to review everything and reflect on the last six years in the old Space, and what worked and what didn't."

There were requests to have the gallery open on a Saturday, but that was not possible before when Saturday was spent installing art for that night's opening.

"The drive was to make Saturdays and weekends more consistent and, surprisingly, Wednesday is a humming night in Whanganui. So I thought that could be a good opportunity for us."

It is also easier for people to attend exhibition openings straight after work.

"I'm really happy to invite Whanganui to come in and enjoy a Wednesday night experience with our [fortnightly] exhibition openings," says Sarah. "Celebratory refreshments are available and it's a great opportunity to celebrate the work of the artists, meet them, as well as other artists from the community. It's a lovely social aspect of the business model. It's not exclusive at all — it's open to the public." She says people new to the city have found the openings helpful introductions to the community.

Sarah likes combining artists in Space, keeping it fresh and engaging.

Leonie Sharp's work is well-known, being mostly based on the techniques and traditions of Maori feather weaving.

"Everyone goes through stuff in their lives, and this tends to be where we deal with it," she says. It's a creative alternative to counselling. "My work changes with what I experience. This series is about healing. For me it's really obvious that's what has happened in my life is now in my work."

"I don't think about, is it going to sell, or who is going to like it? If you start doing that you start second-guessing yourself and your audience. You make what you want to make."

"I'm at my most creative when I don't have to think about anything at all," says Craig, who makes jewellery. "I like to make what makes me feel good, and sometimes I try to visualise a woman wearing it.

"I'm looking forward to showcasing my work here in Space."

Leonie says artists trust Sarah because she makes good decisions.

"She makes good decisions around showing, wording, display."

"What I like about this combination of artists is the authenticity of what they do," says Sarah. "There is cohesion in what they're doing, even if they are using an eclectic range of materials and each body of work is different. This is a strong trio and they complement each other nicely with their aesthetics. And it's nice to have an out-of-town artist supported by two local artists."

Cam is well-known nationally, which should attract people from outside Whanganui to the gallery.

"I've never exhibited in Whanganui and it's quite an artistic area with a lot of artists and a lot of galleries," says Cam, who normally exhibits in Palmerston North (Zimmerman Art Gallery) and Auckland (The Poi Room).

"I have a vocabulary of images, motifs and shapes that recur in my work, so this [exhibition] is an evolution of that. I've done a lot more small sketches for the show — I wanted to loosen up and get some new shapes.

"My work is unplanned ... but calculated. There is a language that has never been spoken; it makes sense to me but is not deciphered yet. It makes sense in a visual way."

Cam had her first show 25 years ago, in Australia, fresh out of art school. She is from Australia but is very much a Kiwi.

Space opening hours are 10am to 2pm, Wednesday to Saturday.

Exhibition bookings are good for the coming year but Sarah would still like to hear from artists wanting to show their work.

By Paul Brooks
Whanganui Midweek 24/4/19