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Welcome to the NZ Art Guild blog - here you will find the news updates, links to members art, information about art exhibitions and events, art challenge winners etc.

For full information about the NZ Art Guild, its services and to become a member go to NZ Art Guild

Friday 30 April 2010

Urban Living Magazine - Art Feature


Urban Living is a fabulous new magazine launched today by the same publishers as Business to Business and Rural Living Magazines. Check out this great article written by Virin Gomber with quotes from the NZ Art Guild Manager Sophia Elise and featuring artworks by members - Donna, Massey, Sandra Toornstra and Sophia Elise.

Legato Member Ira Mitchell-Kirk featured in newspaper article




Recently, Ira Mitchell-Kirk was featured in her local newspaper discussing her artwork that will be included in the Legato, Italy Exhibition that is being held next month.


To read the article, Click on the image above.

Newpaper feature of Angela Laby's Cassino Italy Artwork



Angela Laby's local newspaper wrote an article about her involvement in the Legato Exbition in Italy and her personal connection to the Cassino Battle.


To read the article, click on the image above

Ronda Turk and Sharlene Schmidt's local newspaper Cassino Exhibition article


Ronda Turk and Sharlene Schmidt recently had an article published in their local newspapers discussing their artwork that was influenced by the Cassino Battle in World War Two. Their artwork will be featured in the Legato, Italy Exhition in May.

To read the article, click on the image above.

Front page article in local newspaper for Gail Boyle and Sophia Elise!


A Late congratulations to Gail Boyle and Sophia Elise who had a front page article featured in the North Shore Times. The article was about their artwork and their involvement with the Legato Italy Exhibition coming up next month.
To read the article, click on the image above

Jenny Bennett's feature on her involvement in Legato Exhibition

An article about Jenny Bennett's artwork has been published in her local newspaper highlighting her involvement in the up coming Legato, Italy Exhibition.

To read the article, click on the image above.

Chrissy Brooke's article about Legato, Italy Exhibition

Chrissy Brooke has had an article published about her personal connection to the Legato, Italy exhibition that she in invovled with coming up in May. The feature discusses her artwork and the influence of her father being part of the Cassino Battle on her artwork

To read the article, click on the image above.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Another feature published about Merv Appleton and Watty McEwen

Merv Appleton and Watty McEwen had another article published about Merv's special artwork that he presented to Cassion Veteran, Watty McEwen. Can understand why, such a lovely story!

Wednesday 28 April 2010

Gallery re-opening in Lumsden!


Congratulations to Michelle Wallis who has been the driving force behind creating the Northern Southland Art Inc and re-opening the "Vision into reality" under a new name "Fusion Gallery and Studio" in Lumsden, South Island. Marimba Powley will be the artist in residence and curator for this gallery. An article about the gallery opeing was published in the local newspaper.

To read the article click the the image above.

You can check out the opening exhibition "Undy Four Hundy" with all artworks under $400. Opening is on the 14th May andt i is open until the 12th June.

Participating NZ Art Guild Artists: Marimba Powley, Michelle Wallis, Chavah Kinloch and Amy Mackiewicz.

Friday 23 April 2010

Anzac story leads to special work of art

Anzac story leads to special work of art

TV3 were at Howick RSA where there was a small group of the Legato artists showed some of their artworks. Cassino Vet Watty McEwen was presented with a very special artwork done by Auckland artist Merv Appleton. Read and watch the story by following the link above.

Artist Merv Appleton and Cassino Vet Watty McEwan

Artist Merv Appleton painted a very special artwork for Cassino Vet Watty McEwan whcih was unveiled and presented and Howick RSA on Wednesday evening.

This article is about Merv's involvement in the Cassino, Italy Exhibition in May.




Frances Rooke's published Legato Article


Taranaki Daily News published an article about Frances Rooke's artwork for the Legato, Italy exhibition.
To read the full article, click on the article above.

Anything Goes Exhibition


Come Check out our North Island Member's Exhibition "Anything Goes". There are amazing artists involved, an exhibition not to be missed!
Participating NZ Art Guild Members: Amy Walker, Ana Ter Huurne, Beate Minderjahn, Caroline Viesnik, Cath Sheard, Christine Dempster, Clair Fairweather, Freeman Hau, Jane Bold, Jo Mallinger, Joanne Redshaw, John Towers, Kelly Poulton, Lei Wen, LisaSarah, Melissa Muirhead, Melodie Josephs, Michelle Thorby, Nancy Frazer, Pam Tapp, Peter Augustin, Richard Leonard, Rochelle May van der Werff, Sarah Marks, Sharlene Schmidt, Sherrill Bentley, Silver Dunlop, Sofia Spirtova, Sophia Elise, Tineswari Maruthamuthu

Ronda Turk and Sharlene Schmidt's Bajidoo Article


Ronda Turk and Sharlene Schmidt had an article in a local paper about their artwork being turned into bangles for the international jewellery line, Bajidoo.
To read the full article, click on the article above.

Linda Dickens Article in the Manatawu Standard


Linda Dickens had an article published in the Manatawu Standard discussing her contribution to the Legato, Italy Exhibition.
To read the full article, click on the article above.

Cath Sheard's Legato, Italy feature in the Wanganui Chronicle


Cath Sheard recently had a feature article in the Wanganui Chronicle highlighting her involvment in the Legato, Italy Exhibition.

To read the full article click on the article above.

Sophia Elise's front page article in Albany news


Congratulations to Sophia Elise who had a front page article in the Albany News newspaper about her contribution to the Legato, Italy exhibition coming up in next month.
To read the full article, click on the article above.

Janice Corbishley's Legato Article in Hawkes Bay Today


Congratulations to Janice Corbishley who recently had an article published in the newspaper Hawkes Bay Today, discussing her involvement in the Legato Exhibition.
To read the full article click on the article image.

Friday 16 April 2010

Feature Artist of the Month - Pamela Tapp

Click on the article to enlarge. Read all about our April Feature Artist of the Month, Pamela Tapp.

Friday 9 April 2010

Of Beach and Battle - Jon Stevenson



KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

OF BEACH AND BATTLE: Jon Stevenson with his artwork, which incorporates two images one based on a photo of his wife's grandfather resting during the battle for Monte Cassino, and the other of that soldier's descendant on Whakatane Beach.

Upper Hutt man Jon Stevenson will be among 41 Kiwi artists showing their work at an exhibition in Italy to mark New Zealand involvement in World War II's Battle for Cassino.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to have my work exhibited in Italy alongside so many other New Zealand works," Stevenson said.

He has painted two images in one painting – one based on a photo of his wife's grandfather who was snapped taking a rest during the 1944 battle for the strategic town of Monte Cassino as the Allied forces fought their way up through Italy. The second is of a descendant of that soldier on Whakatane Beach.

Organiser Kay de Lautour said the Legato Exhibition, opening in the Cassino Public Library on May 15, would be the biggest single New Zealand art event held in Italy.
Legato was Italian for intertwined, like strands of rope, giving it strength, Ms de Lautour said. "Many of the artists are depicting links between New Zealand and Italy, featuring their fallen relatives and other connections to the battle.

"As with Italy and New Zealand, so many friendships were formed between families during World War II and maintained after the war.

"Now, two generations later, the grandchildren of the Kiwi soldiers are returning to Italy to visit these families, and young Italians are moving to New Zealand."

Thursday 8 April 2010

Artists make news around NZ


Artists involved in the Legato Exhibition are making news headlines around NZ - read the latest article about Frances Rookes

41 artists to send paintings to Kiwi exhibition

41 artists to send paintings to Kiwi exhibition

Thursday, 8 April 2010
Press Release: Word of Mouth Media


41 artists prepare to send paintings to Kiwi exhibition in Italy to mark Kiwi involvement in the Battle of Cassino

Forty-one selected artists are preparing to send their paintings to a landmark Kiwi exhibition in Italy to commemorate New Zealand’s involvement in the Battle of Monte Cassino.

Organisers Kay de Lautour (in Cassino) and Sophia Elise (Auckland) said today the May 15 exhibition would be the biggest single New Zealand art event ever held in Italy.

Most of the artists had grandparents, uncles and relatives who fought in World War Two, or who fought in Italy and some had parents, grandparents and uncles who were at the Battle of Cassino.

Artists taking part are from Patea, Christchurch, Upper Hutt, Waipu, Whitianga, the USA, Italy, Auckland, Mt Maunganui, Napier, Opotiki, Orewa, South Otago, Whangarei, Levin, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Oban, Pokeno and Wellington. A number of them will be at the exhibition and staying at nearby Roccasecca, a town over 1000 years old where the Kiwi soldiers are well remembered.

The commemorative art event has been labelled the Legato exhibition. De Lautour said legato in Italian meant intertwined, like strands of rope, giving it strength.
``As with Italy and New Zealand, so many friendships were formed between families during WWII and maintained after the war.

``Now, two generations later, the grandchildren of the Kiwi soldiers are returning to Italy to visit these families, and young Italians are moving to New Zealand. Every year hundreds of New Zealanders visit the graves of their countrymen who remained here.

"Artists have a responsibility to reflect what is happening in society, and they do so whether they are conscious of it or not. In New Zealand we see Anzac Day parades growing in strength. World-wide there is a resurgence in interest in the history of the world wars. The time is right for artists to be proactive and take up the challenge of the old soldiers who urge us to ensure that "peace" is not an empty word," de Lautour said.

With Anzac Day just a few weeks away de Lautour said she always visited the Commonwealth Cemetery on the day to visit the graves of NZ soldiers. She said so many Kiwis still pay their respects at the cemetery every Anzac Day with new poppies, little flags, photos of soldiers and messages laminated in plastic propped against the graves.

``I think it would be nice for families to know that the tributes they leave are carefully maintained and even after bad weather are still neatly aligned against the headstones by the gardeners. Wellington College leave a tribute there every year or so and it always amazes me how long it stays there before it is replaced by the next visiting group from the school.’’

The NZ art exhibition will be held in Cassino’s public library complex in the centre of the town with a formal gala opening on May 15. Many of the artists are depicting links between New Zealand and Italy, featuring their fallen relatives and other connections to the battle.

The NZ Ambassador to Rome Laurie Markes will tour the exhibition on May 17. A souvenir programme has been produced which features a Cassino peace painting by Auckland artist Merv Appleton.

Ends