Art award fame spreading

CLARE ST PIERRE with the Mountain Category award winning painting (left) by Heather Campbell, the Flora and Fauna category winner by Kerry McLennan and the Creative Possum Fur and Fibre award winning piece by weaver Nynke Piebenga, with children’s section entries in background. 324071AD

By Grant Johnston

The third Mt Pirongia Art Awards attracted 36 entries and posed a real headache for the judges.

Clare St Pierre, chairperson of Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society which organises the annual awards, says the overall quality of entries was the highest yet and the most widely supported - with entries from as far afield as Auckland.

“The diversity of entries was staggering - it’s hard to believe it’s the same mountain in many of them.”

Mrs St Pierre judged the event, along with local artist Adele Mitchell and Waipa Mayor Alan Livingston.

‘Pirongia Landscape’ by Hamilton artist Heather Campbell took out the main award and $525 in cash and vouchers (from Goldridge Wealth Management, Gordon Harris and Te Awamutu Frames and Graphics).

“Adele, who was providing the artistic perspective, raved about the attributes of this acrylics painting including its clever composition,” Mrs St Pierre says.

This year’s main award entries included two protesting the use of 1080 poison on the mountain.

The Native Flora and Fauna section was won by Kerry McLennan, with her vibrant entry ‘Mountain World’. She picked up $200 in cash and $300 in vouchers from Gordon Harris (art supplies), Ngaroto Nurseries and Paper Plus.

The children’s section attracted around 50 entries, including some from Pirongia School pupils and a swag from Te Pahu Primary students. Stuart Parker and Madhur Lata from Harcourts sponsored certificates for this section.

There was a new section this year for Creative Possum Fur and Fibre, won by Pirongia weaver Nynke Piebenga, with her striking‘Forest Greens’ creation using 65% possum fur, 25% Merino wool and 10% silk. She colleted $200 cash (including a $100 Addiction Foods sponsorship) and $50 Stichin’ Stuff voucher.

The exhibition in Pirongia Memorial Hall, which opened Friday night, is open daily through to Saturday, or can be viewed at www.mtpirongia.org.nz (with webmaster Tui Allen working overtime to have the site ready for viewing already).

For each painting sold, 25% goes to the Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society. Other prizes for the competition were donated by EcoFX, Heathcotes, Mitre 10, The Veterinary Centre, Whitcoulls, Farmlands, Selectrix, Strawbridge’s Retravision and Bees and Buttercups, while Creative New Zealand supported the event with a $500 grant.