Bay Art 2011
Emma Lay, 40 53’45.44”S 172 48’44.47”E.Supreme Award.
Bay Art 2011 opened in grand style at the high school hall last Friday and has attracted very large numbers of viewers.
The exhibition and competition is a highlight on Golden Bay’s arts calendar and continues to draw large numbers of artists working in a wide range of genres and media. Golden Bay Community Arts Council works hard to give artists this means of displaying their work to the community. In all, 114 works were entered, just three down on last year’s tally.
This year the competition side of Bay Art was judged by local politicians Kevin Hague, Damien O’Connor and Chris Auchinvole who are all contesting the West Coast Tasman seat, and Minister for the Arts Chris Finlayson. They awarded the supreme prize to Rangihaeata artist Emma Lay for her exquisite multi-media work 40° 53” 45.44’ S - 172° 48’ 44.47’ E. Emma also won the supreme award in 2009.
Reacting to her latest success, Emma said, “I was was really surprised and delighted obviously. It’s a small and quiet picture amongst that big collection of vibrant art. It’s great just to know that my work did engage the interest of the viewers.”
The winning piece is one of a series of works that came about as a result of Emma seeing the landscape through a plane window.
“I was interested in the different perspective, the kind of detachment it gives you. There’s a feeling of wonder, almost a kind of suspension of your usual relationship with the landscape. A kind of mental freedom because when you’ve got your feet on the ground you’re immersed in the scale of it.
Emma said she has always been very interested in maps especially in the way they “interpret a 3D space into a 2D space and the way the physical aspects of the world like rivers interact with man-made roads and things.”
The Bay Art exhibition fully occupies the hall and presents an almost overwhelmingly vibrant and interesting sight as you enter. It includes tiny intricate jewellery; beadwork; video installation; mosaic works; a wide range of fibre art, including knitting, weaving and patchwork; photography; wood art; and a fascinating corrugated iron wheelbarrow.
Artists in the 2D section have explored many media and thematic approaches. There is ultra-realistic work, highly figurative work, whimsical work and an increasing amount of political or narrative work. Plenty of the Bay’s artists are taking the opportunity to make a statement through their work and those statements are initiating conversations among their viewers.
Arts Council chair Grant Knowles was pleased with the number of entries and especially with the number of viewers.
“We had 400 over the first weekend and we’ll probably get to 1000 by the end of the week. Bay Art is obviously becoming more and more popular. Each year I say it’s the best ever, and I think that’s true again this year. We’ve got more contemporary and slightly challenging stuff this time. I think we’ve got a show here that stands up really well nationally.”
Claire Fones won the 2D section with her charcoal drawing of a teapot. She called her success “a lovely surprise.”
“I’m a relative newcomer to observational drawing. The image was born in Kare Grayson’s weekly drawing classes. With her gentle guidance and encouragement, I’ve honed my skills.”
Bay Art runs until Sunday.
Neil Wilson
Results: Supreme Winner: Emma Lay. 2D - 1st: Clair Fones, 2nd: Guy Nicholls. 3D - 1st: Nicola Basham, 2nd: Grant Lewis. 3D minature - 1st: Pamela Nelson, 2nd: Tania Carey. Fibre - 1st: Deb Price, 2nd: Maureen Harte. Photography - 1st: Jock Harrision, 2nd: Rob Dawson. Highly Commended: Maureen Harte (two awards), Hans Bauer, Carol Davis, Dean Raybould, Chris Watson and Kas Muller.
