TEPORA'S RETROSPECTIVE ART EXHIBITION

TEPORA’S RETROSPECTIVE

Art Exhibition at Next Level Gallery

Upstairs, WSA premises, 120 Victoria St, Hamilton 3204, New Zealand

22 March to 11^th April

Opening: 5:30 p.m. Thursday the 22 March

Introduction Statement: Art is to be seen, experienced, heard. I use various styles to storytell, give a voice to a cause, experience the beauty of our world. It is time for me to let go of my favorites to you; their audience and potential custodians. Kia ora, Tepora Watene

OFFER TO DO A COMMISSION when you . . .

IN LIEU OF OF FEES

A year or so after I sustained a head injury I decided I'd had enough of constantly falling over from poor balance, so I went to see a local Chiropractor.  The treatment was progressing well however whilst I had A.C.C. cover and assistance, I couldn't afford to keep going. My Chiropractor said, 'what about your painting?' I thought he meant I could pay from the sales of my art and replied, 'oh I wish, but art is not selling at the moment.' To which he answered, 'why don't you paint me something?' He shared with me his love of Salvador Dali's surreal art and showed me Dali's painting 'Christ of St John on The Cross'.  At the time I did not know of Dali's works (I know! How could I not be familiar with Dali?) The artwork I did for him is pictured below.

Jesus on the cross over sea of souls

Last year I found myself in the same predicament, this time with my Neuro-psychiatrist, as my head injury is no-longer covered by A.C.C. So I proposed painting a work of art for him. He kindly accepted and I am now working on my version of a painting by New Zealand artist; Brent Wong, who is also a surrealist. 

MY SUGGESTION TO YOU

The next time you find yourself unable to pay for the fees of a professional, propose doing a commission for them. Not everyone will be favourable (I tried this with a Solicitor to no avail) but you'd be surprised how many do accept your offer. 

POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND

My latest blog, go to http://povertyinnewzealand.blogspot.co.nz/

The Power of Art

The meaning of art; Creation of beautiful things, the creation of beautiful or thought-provoking works; e.g. in painting, music, or writing. (The Encarta Dictionary: English, U.K.)

Concept; Something thought or imagined, Broad principle affecting perception and behaviour, Understanding or grasp, Way of doing or perceiving something. (The Encarta Dictionary: English, U.K.)

Art gives the viewer the opportunity of seeing a ‘subject’ from a totally different perspective, it provokes thought; the viewer is free to interpret or judge it in any way she or he desires.  Art being thought provocative instigates discussion, debate and new ideas. This being so an artist has the ability to ‘make changes’ to social thinking.

Take notice of the differing attitudes people have. For example, on Facebook today the various remarks about a photo of people looking at Ad Reinhardt’s Exhibition at the David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea New York;

‘Deeply contemplating against a wall with a black square on it WTF?’

‘Stuff White People Like (Black Squares)?’

‘ART IS LAME’

‘They have more patience then I do...I'm not a person to tell someone else that they can't enjoy/define what is art for them, but if I wanted to look at black rectangles, I could just stay home and stare at my television while it's turned off - LOL!’

 ‘It's like when you reach the dead end in a maze, you can't progress from this point, so it's telling the viewer to go back, to regress or to say WTF!? Hehehe’

Do you think the people who made the above comments were ‘closed’ or ‘open’ minded? Did they ask themselves, 'what is the artist's message?'

Open to Concepts: My journey as an artist requires me to be open minded. Initially I researched the history of art, the old masters, renaissance art and so forth. Then contemporary art; with visits to libraries, Art Museums and Galleries. About 3 years into this journey after being disillusioned by the art-works of previous winners of my local ‘Contemporary Art Awards’, I contemplated using the contents of my studio rubbish bin as ‘installation art’ for the 2008 awards. I didn't for I feared being rejected. Silly I, for the winner was...

 A well known local artist interviewed in the TV news described the results and work as being ‘rubbish’. Yes, it was ‘rubbish’, but no-one was saying anything about what the artist was ‘saying’, the message he was conveying. I'm glad he entered this piece and not I, for at the time I was an unknown artist, my version probably would have been rejected. Dane Mitchell is known for ‘pushing the boundaries’, he has an international reputation, he is accepted in the art world, he has made his mark.

The Power of Art; Whether Music, Sculpture, Paintings, Writing or film; art has the capacity and strength to influence people and their actions. Even more so, it has the power for political and social change, the artist who chooses to use this power has a serious responsibility.

‘Last year the editors of 'ArtReview' magazine named the Chinese dissident 'Ai Weiwei' the most powerful artist in the world.... In China, Ai—a brave and unrelenting critic of the authoritarian regime—has spent time in jail, was not allowed by the government to leave Beijing for a year and cannot travel without official permission. As a result, he has become a symbol of the struggle for human rights in China, but not pre-eminently so. He is too quixotic a figure to have developed the moral gravitas of the great men of conscience who challenged the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century.’ Dated September 2012. 

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Is-Ai-Weiwei-Chinas-Most-Dangerous-Man-165592906.html#ixzz2kxWa9uu7 

It is written ‘the meek shall inherit the Earth’, in the state that it is in right now and the direction it is headed, there won’t be much earth left for the meek. More people are needed to make a change to benefit not only Mankind but also the Planet we inhabit.  

Smog over roads in China

So much smog a breathing mask is needed

Ocean garbage is out of control

Ocean trash

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill death to bird life

Amazon Rainforest, the lungs of Earth, diminishes by the day

I am sure there are other individual artists or groups who are like minded. I'd like to hear from you. Let us unite to use the power of art to create a better world, a world with a future that provides hope for all. Kia kaha toi toi, kia ora,Tepora Watene.

PS: If you are going to make a comment could you please elaborate and define what you mean when using expletives,(see first comment) and to what the expletive is referring to, or even better still, if you don't have good English language skills enabling you to using better adverbs and adjectives other than expletives, don't comment. Otherwise, we'll all know what kind of skills you have as an artist, .... You can think of your own expletives to fill in the gap. 

PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD

2013 OSFA Exhibition & Competition; Gallery Artisans

My thanks to all who visited Gallery Artisans to view the Exhibition entries and especially to those who voted for my art-work ‘PINK ROSE’; without your votes I wouldn't have won the ‘People's Choice’.

Awards & Exhibition Closing Ceremony

6.30 pm., Friday the 1^st November, myself and my supporters met up with other artists and their followers for the Closing Ceremony and Awards/Prizes. Our daughter, three of her friends and a special friend of mine were there to support me. The prize I received for the ‘People’s Choice’ was a ‘Gordon Harris Art & Graphic Store’ $50 reloadable gift card; just what I've always wanted! Thanks to

‘Gordon Harris Art & Graphic Store’, for sponsoring the main prizes.

As well as winning the ‘People’s Choice’ I and many others won spot prizes; I won a pack of Oil/Water Soluble Pastels, which is just perfect as I have been dabbling with pastels for the last few months. It was a great evening for all.  At about 9.30 Alex (Gallery Proprietor) bought the evening to a close as there were only a few of us still there. We moved onto ‘Biddy Mulligan's Irish Pub’, who was one of the other main sponsors of the Exhibition & Competition.

My thanks to Alex McPherson; Founder and Proprietor of Gallery Artisans, Hamilton; for continuing with the ‘Annual OSFA (One Size Fits All) Exhibition & Competition’, which used to be held at Thornton Art Gallery (now closed).

Alex has retained ‘Pink Rose’ at the Gallery for sale. 

http://galleryartisans.co.nz/

INSPIRATION

Some time ago I decided to hold art-play ‘workshops’ for the purpose of helping others connect to their inner artist.  My motivation to do so came from a fellow arty Facebook friend who had shared with me his lack of inspiration to paint. It’s ironic that a year or so later I found myself in the same place; life definitely knows how to throw ‘curve balls’! One week I was happily sketching and/or painting  on a daily basis, never far from at the very least my artist journal, which went with me everywhere including a mix of various pencils, conte sticks and charcoals; then overnight it seemed as though I had lost all desire and passion for art!

My artist journal and sketching tools still went wherever I went, I’d ‘doodle’ or sketch whatever took my fancy; the water fountain at at Casabella Lane, the crowds at a local art event; however my motivation to work in my studio back home had all but disappeared.  Attempts to revive my passion to create works of art, in my beloved ‘Toi Toi Studio’, were stunted and erratic like a scratched DVD which refused to play!

My life became swamped with defeat, negativity and loss of hope; Instead of feeling elated in the morning and rearing to create something new or finish my works in progress, I felt burdened by the general daily tasks of running a family household. Now there were a lot of reasons that this had happened but now that I've finally escaped that ‘dry desert’, I write to share what ignited my creative artistic passion!

I had been surfing the internet flicking through the artwork of others, thinking how wonderful they all were, how fortunate for these artists to have the passion to paint such beautiful pieces and then this one work of art captured my attention! I took my hand off the keyboard, sat back in my chair and gazed for what seemed like an eternity at the image before me; it’s simplistic beauty, delicate hues of pink, white and red, the way this sole subject took up the whole canvas, its form and lines disappearing off the edges and most of all, it’s perfect three dimensional depth. I just had to recreate it!

THE ROSE

ONE SIZE FITS ALL EXHIBITION & COMPETITION 2011

EXHIBITION now showing until ...
THE AWARDS EVENING;
5.30 p.m. Friday the 5th August 
THORNTON GALLERY
Barton Street,
HAMILTON C.B.D.
NEW ZEALAND.


Look forward to seeing you there. 

Jackson Pollock and his works of art are a great inspiration to me. Whenever I need to break loose from convention,

I use his techniques to express how I feel emotionally.

SPLASH TRIPTYCH
click on photo to see rest of album

CLICK ON PHOTO to see album of all 3 artworks,

even better visit the exhibition to see them up close

along with many other 10" x 10" masterpieces

by local New Zealand Artists.

20TH ANNUAL WALLACE ART AWARDS 2011

WARRIOR
MATENE TENGA

I'm currently finishing 'Warrior Matene TeNga' to enter into the   '20TH ANNUAL WALLACE ART AWARDS 2011'.


The winner receives a RESIDENCY at the INTERNATIONAL STUDIO and CURATORIAL PROGRAM in NEW YORK.

LET ENVY AND DISSENSION BE DISPELLED

Let Peace Reign.

Picasa Web Album Link to 'Let Peace Reign' (4 photos). This is a socio-political statement expressing my concerns about the division among fellow New Zealanders caused by over zealot politicians and leaders, who are using the Maori versus white skinned New Zealanders platform to further their own selfish interests and careers. 

In our National Anthem; 'God Defend New Zealand', the English translation of the Maori version voices the following; Verse 2. Let all people, Red skin, white skin, Mäori, Päkehä; Gather before you. May all our wrongs, we pray, be forgiven so that we might say long live Aotearoa. Verse 3 .. Let not strife, Nor dissension ensue, may it ever be great Aotearoa...  Verse 4. ...Let envy and dissension be dispelled, let peace reign over Aotearoa.

. 

FORESAKEN EXHIBITION OPENING

Maiden Solo Exhibition

Photo's of Formal Powhiri/Opening of my Maiden Solo Exhibition at SupaNova Art Gallery & Studio, Gordonton. Maori Television filmed event for Te karere (News). Over 100 people attended. 


'Forsaken Exhibition' later moved onto 'The Empire Gallery' in Cambridge, New Zealand and then to the Hukanui Marae in Gordonton, for King Tuheitia Paki's first Official Marae Hui (Meeting).

RESALE ROYALTY RIGHT for NZ VISUAL ARTISTS

In April 2007 the government released a discussion paper, seeking feedback on the possible establishment of a “resale royalty right” for visual artists.  A resale royalty right is also known as “droit de suite” or an “artist’s resale right”.  This means visual artists receive a royalty payment each time their original art work is resold on the secondary art market.  A resale right currently exists in around 50 countries, including the United Kingdom where it was introduced in February 2006.

The government examined international developments relating to a resale right, and the possible impact of applying such a right in New Zealand.  As part of this project, the Ministry prepared a discussion paper.  This discussion paper provided an overview of these international developments, and looked at a number of options that could form the basis of a resale right scheme in New Zealand. 

For more information refer to; http://www.mch.govt.nz/research-publications/publications/ministry-reports/resale-royalty-right-visual-artists-discussion-p

EXHIBITION at THORNTON GALLERY

'LET PEACE REIGN'
36 x 48 x 1.5"
mixed media on canvas
NZ$1,400

'LET PEACE REIGN',
Artist -Tepora Watene.
Amiorangi Exhibition,
Thornton Gallery, Barton St, Hamilton (NZ).
Ph: +64 7 839 1325.
Exhibition ends 18th of June.

Exhibition price is $1,400.
INVEST NOW, before the value increases. 

From the 30th June 2011,
 http://www.saatchionline.com/TeporaWatene 

or direct from the artist NZ$3,000.

THE ULTIMATE CREARTIVE EXPERIENCE

Take time out to give yourself a well earned break from your busy schedule; enjoy a one day creative workshop, cafe lunch with a visit to a local art gallery. Liberate your creative talents and in so doing, produce your very own masterpiece.
Date: Fourth Saturday of each month
Time: 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Venue: Toi Toi Studios located in the foothills of Mt Pirongia
Location: 180 Rosborough Rd, Te Pahu
Call or Text: 027 503 8 503
Cost: $75 includes all refreshments, lunch and art supplies.
Book Now: Spaces are limited therefore a $30 non refundable reservation fee is required. For further enquiries and bookings call Deborah at the above number.

PROGRAMME:

9.30 a.m.   Welcome and introductions with morning tea.

10 a.m.      Begin your CreArtive experience.

Midday     Lunch in Pirongia followed by visit to local Art Gallery.

2 p.m.        Back to your Masterpiece

3 p.m.        Afternoon tea.

3.15 p.m.   Complete your Masterpiece.

4.30 p.m.   Comments and reviews with farewell refreshments.  

"Amiorangi" Matariki Exhibition

MATARIKI

On the Application Form; 'Amiorangi' is interpreted, "As a contextual vessel Amiorangi transmits its knowledge from information gathered back to earth so that man can navigate into the future." unquote

The THEME quote "This year artists look ahead and into the face of the changing world. A collaborative exhibition that reflects on the social change and perhaps the necessities to move with change. It is a cultural explorative journey of identity, challenge and conversation, a glimpse of where Aotearoa is now moving forward." unquote. Upon visiting Thornton Gallery's website I discover a further definition of the theme as being, quote; "So in a sense it is a kaupapa where we can look at our culture globally with the new technologies available, on line chatting, Facebook all these things, I.P the 21st century concerns with our culture." unquote. Adding this definition to the one described on the Application opens up a wider range of topics to choose from. 

MY STUDIO WORKSPACES

MY MAIN STUDIO

Alcove where I paint smaller art works. (above)

 Central area where I paint larger art-work 

(My 'apprentice' Bella sleeping on the armchair)

View looking out from my south facing window.

Daily I express my gratitude for our home and spectacular location. I have two studio spaces, the first has large windows all around with oodles of sun and daylight making it an ideal place to paint and photograph my work. (see photos above). My smaller studio serves as a storage room for the bulk of my art supplies, work in progress and completed art work waiting to be sold or to be exhibited.  With covered wide decks on the South and North sides, I am able to lay down super large canvases so I can literally throw paint around.

If you're a fellow artist, I'd love to hear about your own work-space and studio. 

INFERNO work in progress: day 3

Husband Ralph & I were looking at how it looks now .. he suggested I title it 'INFERNO' (was previously;Fire), said it looked like looking down into a volcano etc. So I am hereby giving him credit for the name.

'Shades of Pirongia' Exhibition (W.I.P.) - using Golden Open Acrylics

This series of works requires all the patience I can muster. I prefer to work on large canvases, my style being;  loose, liberated with large brush strokes, splashes, lots of paint and heavily textured. Echoing in my mind are my art tutor Pam  (Watson, Hamilton) words; 'open up... remember ... circles and sausages' and I chuckle as I write. Destiny served me well, causing my first tutor to be Pam, her teachings allowed my natural style to flow; I'm sure had I first attended a fine arts teaching institute my natural gift would have been 'stiffled' and possibly not even given birth. Back to the subject at hand;

Each piece from this series is on average 10 x 10 inches in size, portraying scenes from my local village, Pirongia. Being detailed and of the realism genre, I'm using brush sizes in the small range. As I'm quite short-sighted and prefer not to wear glasses when I paint, whilst I started this series with gusto and passion ... eventually my enthusiasm wore off as the work requires a lot of attention, is time consuming, intensive and thus stressful, mentally and physically. I get so focused as I sit with a table easel, that I tend to forget to take regular breaks, resulting in tension head-aches, eye-strain, neck and back ache. (getting old .. LOL). Initially I used Golden Heavy Body Acrylics, using the Golden Flow Medium to thin the paint. I considered using the Golden Fluid Acrylics but the Golden Open Acrylic range was released. The Open range, in tubes, is of a much thiner viscosity than the Heavy Body and the biggest benefit is they dry much slower, allowing easier blending. This is 'Alexander Tavern' as it looked last year. Check this post for updates,

INFERNO work in progress: day 2

2-3 hours work ... stroke by stroke, layer by layer the image on canvas develops like an embryo in the uterus.

INFERNO work in progress

Being an artist who's unafraid to share the creation process. Shapshot of how it looked at the end of the day Sunday 17th April.

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS - paint & sketching

Over the years; many have asked me to run workshops. Being a full-time artist I value my time not to mention the solitude required to focus on my own work. Finally after much deliberation, I've made the decision to hold 'CREATIVE WORKSHOPS' with the focus being on the fun side of creating art. The workshops will be held on week and weekend days. For those who do not have their own art supplies; these will be provided  at an affordable cost. Weather permitting there will be excursions to sketch, paint and photograph on location as well as visits to local galleries, cafe's and of course the local tavern; The Alexander Tavern in Pirongia. (Food and refreshments at your own cost).For those who come to the two day workshops, there is a variety of local accommodation available. The size of the workshops is limited to a maximum of 3 thus you'll need to book in advance. Dates and cost of the workshops will be posted soon. Please post your interest or email me at; mckenziedeborahnz@gmail.com. regards Deborah McKenzie