Matiu Somes: On The Island

Solander Gallery Wellington invites you to participate in the upcoming program.

The “Matiu Somes: On The Island” program consists of 3 parts.

1/   An exhibition of selected works from the very successful Matiu Somes: The Next Chapter exhibition featuring seven New Zealand artist’s responses to a weekend residency on Matiu Somes Island.

2/  Public printmaking workshops

3/  Meet the artist opportunities.

  

Part 1

Matiu Somes: On The Island

A selection of 14 works will be exhibited on Matiu/Somes Island over the Wellington Anniversary Weekend (19-21 Jan).  This exhibition will take place in the Caretakers Cottage and will be open to the public from 10.30am to 4.00pm each day over the weekend.

The exhibition provides an opportunity for visitors to the Island to experience the artist’s works in the direct context of the Island environment. The public will be able to gain valuable insight into the artist’s motivations and creative processes and more importantly reflect on their own experiences and thoughts on the Island’s stories, historical places, and environment. The exhibition gives an opportunity for the public to compare their responses to the Island with that of the artists and, in a way, to validate their own creative interpretation. 

Part 2

Workshop experiences

Public printmaking workshops will also be conducted over the weekend and is an important opportunity for people of all ages to understand and appreciate the exhibition and the Island’s history and environment in a multi sensory way.

The workshop experience is not only an enjoyable process but provides a platform on which to explore, examine and discuss the significant historical places and stories surrounding Matiu Somes Island. By making a small piece of art to take away, visitors have a signifier of their visit which potentially could generate conservations to a broad audience.

There will be workshop experiences available at two different locations on the Island over the course of weekend. Both workshop venues will operate from 10.30am until 3.30pm

Workshop 1: Screenprinting workshop – Caretakers Cottage

This workshop will be run by Lynn Taylor who is a very experienced art tutor from Dunedin and one of the artists included in the Matiu Somes: The Next Chapter exhibition. Lynn will provide a number of silkscreens with prepared images from the Island for the public to print from using non toxic and environmentally friendly materials. There will also be opportunities for older participants to create their own papercut stencils to screenprint their designs onto paper and fabric.

This workshop will operate on Saturday & Sunday from 10.30am to 3.30pm

Age range

• Suitable for adults and children as young as 8 with supervision by a parent

Typical experience duration

• Approximately 15 -20 minutes for each experience

Workshop 2: Monoprint Workshop – Barracks Building

 This workshop will be run by Basia Smolnicki  and Vincent Drane who are both practicing printmaking artists and experienced art tutors (both with over 20 years teaching experience). This workshop will introduce relief and monoprints on paper created from the surface of a variety of found objects such as feathers, leaves and grasses as well as prepared woodcuts that illustrate the diversity of wildlife on the Island. All materials will be nontoxic and environmentally friendly.

 

This workshop will operate on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10.30am to 3.30pm

Age range

• Suitable for adults and children as young as 8 with supervision by a parent

Typical experience duration

• Approximately 15 - 20 minutes for each experience