Gamble on outdoor art event pays off big-time

September 24th, 2012
[photos by David Armstrong, Jan Baily, Shirley Frater]

Beautiful sunny weather ensured the Arts Council's beach art day, in conjunction with the annual welcome to the godwits, was a roaring success with yesterday's Sunday waterfront walkers.

While many hundreds gathered to look at the works of local artists along Motueka Quay and to use telescopes provided to spy the godwits on the sandspit, more adventurous amateur beach sculptors made sand and driftwood structures along the Kumaras walkway at the top of the spit.

Instead of the usual (in recent years) presentations and artworks in Memorial Hall to mark the godwits' arrival, the Arts Council took the gamble - especially so given the string of rainy Sundays in recent months - of taking the art to where the godwits can be viewed.

Many artists pitched their stands along a 300-metre stretch of the Quay from 10am to 1pm, showing their wares and in some cases doing actual paintings. Some groups, including the Department of Conservation, Little Picassos and Forest & Bird, provided fun artistic activities for children.

And up off the Kumaras walkway about 25 people at various times stopped to use the local materials for their own creations, several being family efforts. Hopefully they are far enough above high tide, and passers-by will not interfere, so that they will remain fixtures for some time to come. Perhaps even some people may add to them in future.

Some of the driftwood sculptures near the Kumaras walkway

Pam Marchant with her delicate creation

The largest of them all

David and Val's sand basket

The combined effort of of the Satherley family and Terry Frater

Rosario, from Riwaka and previously Uruguay

Shelby's detailed marine dwelling

Isaac with the results of his industrious effort

Forest & Bird entertain the children at Motueka Quay

Birdwatchers at the end of the old wharf

The Tasman Visual Arts Group
take the opportunity for a sunny picnic

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