The First open exhibition for the Academy's 2009 year...

Internationally reknowned botanical artist Sue Wickison's style of painting is very slow and meticulous, working in the traditional watercolour discipline, capturing the details and nuances of colour in various plants.

Following a degree in Scientific Illustration, Sue spent nine years as a Botanical Illustrator with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, one of the foremost botanical institutions in the world.

Sue was especially commissioned by the New Zealand Plant Conservation Netork to do a painting to be used as an annual award recognising outstanding conservation work by individuals. Sue was also awarded a gold medal in London recently for a body of work painted in the traditional botanical illustration style on the fascinating plant group Arisaema.

She is now turning her attention to some more contemporary pieces of work, including some clever double-sided watercolours with a touch of humour.

Erik Omundsen comes from Montana USA. He has spent 15 years with clay and studied art and architecture at Montana State University. He now lives and works at Driving Creek Railway & Potteries.

Erik digs all his own clays and fires with wood, his process of nurturing the clay into form is quite spectacular. The huge outdoor pieces have the feel of coming from an archeological site.

Other guest artists include Bob Munro with his wonderful copper water-features, stone sculpture from Bodhi Vincent and very old Bonsai trees by Keith Lowe.

The exhibition includes artworks from many other established and emerging artists and features the the Gordon Harris Art Award, won by Bruce Luxford for his surrealist commentary on the current economic condition; "Down a Dirt Road".

 The galleries are open daily from 10am to 5pm

ADMISSION IS FREE

collection of works: Monday 6th April 10am - 4pm