Getting ready for Arts in the Ville
Lockdown brings a lot of anxieties with it, but one plus is that artists preparing for
Labour Weekend’s 7th Arts in the Ville have some unscheduled time to work on pieces
they’ll have on display, some in their own studios, some in public venues including the War Memorial Hall, the Helensville Library, the Art Centre, and pop-up galleries around
the town.
Two artists taking advantage of lockdown time are sculptor Jeff Thomson and Marmalade Hats milliner Myra Lloyd, who have teamed up for a special exhibition of Fashionable Beasts, with Jeff’s critters wearing Myra’s hats.
The idea for a collaboration came from a casual comment sparked by the ‘Wood and Wool’ exhibition held at the Art Centre and featuring wood artist Ray Scott and textile artist Fiona McBride, both of whom will exhibit during Arts in the Ville 2021. Jeff has selected some previously made sculptures and made some new ones. “Myra saw my creatures as each having personality, their own attitudes, some quirky, others serene, and she wanted
to create hats to imbue these qualities for each individual,” says Jeff. “In fashion terms, this could be seen as our Spring Collection being launched in Helensville.”
As they work on the project Myra and Jeff are enjoying combining not-so-compatible materials to create their novel sculptural hat stands, with Myra having to work with new materials, such as thin aluminium. “The exhibition will be a quirky, whimsical
collaboration telling a story about each beast, “says Myra. She’s enjoying the challenge. “Working with an animal in mind has stretched my creativity, made me look harder.” Jeff agrees “I think the unusualness in the combination will be a memorable experience
and have a positive impact viewers will hopefully remember for a long time.”
Also featuring in Arts in the Ville, the popular treasure hunt will return. This year’s theme is ‘red’ and Jeff Thomson will again donate one of his artworks as the prize.
Like and follow ARTS in the VILLE on Facebook and Instagram to see the artist profiles and keep updated with the news. If you would like to participate as an artist or maker, please contact Jo Ogilvie via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/artsintheville.co.nz or call/txt on 021-071-0246
