History of the exhibition

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 501, 31 August 1993, Page 5

History of the exhibition

by

Bea

Barnes

In the winter of 1979 the Ohakune 3000 Club, founded by the mayor, John Gould, planned their second winter festival - a two-week programme aimed to entertain August school holiday visitors. Talking to Maurice Collier of Rangiwai, I asked him if he could suggest an event. "Why not a small art exhibition", he suggested. I put this forward at our next committee meeting and it was immediately accepted. "A good idea Bea. Go for your life" With the help of my daughter Dorothy I 'went for my life' for the next six years. The first Turoa Art Award exhibition was held in the old Salvation Army Hall in Ayr Street, (now Benchmark) The place had been standing empty and had collected years of dust and grime. We washed walls and paint-work, scrubbed the floor and hung a big curtain over the opening to a less salubrious part of the building. One thing we couldn't hide was the hole in the roof. Rain dripped to form a big puddle on the floor beneath. A garden was suggested. A large sheet of black plastic with red scoria spread over it, some large rocks, shrubs and pot plants quite transformed the scene. A few new light bulbs to improve the lighting and we were away. King Country artists were invited to submit their work and we re-

ceived 91 entries from 41 artists. The Wanganui Savings Bank sponsored the award and remained our chief sponsor for the next five years. With their help and with donations from local people we were able to offer an award of $200 with a runner-up prize of a book on water colour painting. Mr W N (Bill) McCormick, himself an established artist and a previous National Bank Award winner, agreed to judge the exhibits and at a preview evening the exhibition was formally opened. Our first award winner was a local artist from Raetihi with a bush scene in oils entitled 'Tran-quillity'. The run-ner-up was a Taumarunui artist, Mrs Joan Reid, with a rural scene entitled 'Old Settler's Hut'. Inspired Inspired by our success, a further exhibition was planned for the following year, but as the hall had become the Mitre 10 shop a new venue was needed. Alan Murdie built his big 'New World' supermarket in Goldfinch Street vacating the former 'Melody's Super-market' on the comer of Clyde and Goldfinch streets - a good venue in the centre of town and the walls didn't even need scrubbing. One hundred entries from 43 artists were received, 12 entries being Ohakune and Raetihi artists. Mr Ron Tizzard from the Auckland Society of Fine Arts judged the exhibition and the award of $200 was won by

Feilding artist Mrs Judy Johnstone with an oil colour entitled 'Ship's Creek'. Two runner-up prizes were awarded, the first to a Taumarunui artist, Miss Lynne Christiansen, with 'Feeding the Turkeys' in oils. The second to Mr E Heenley of Taupo with 'The River Tweed at Peebles'. 1981 had us again searching for a venue for the exhibition. Mr Bruce Wilde had just finished the new premises for his 'Ohakune Photo Pharmacy' in Goldfinch Street, brand sparkling new with new fitted carpet. Ready to be opened the week after the exhibition closed, Bruce generously lent us his new shop. More sponsors The Wanganui Savings Bank had increased their sponsorship and Turoa Skifields sponsored an award for entries with Mt Ruapehu as the subject. With the help of our faithful band of local donors we again were able to offer an award of $200. Mr Alan Swinton from the Auckland Society of Fine Arts judged Mrs Judy Johnstone's oil

colour entitled Rangitikei River' as the winner and Adrienne Rewi of Ashurst as the runner-up with a water colour entitled 'Wellington Harbour'. Adrienne is now a well known artist exhibiting regularly with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. Mr Jack Hammond of Wanganui won the Turoa Skifield Award with his oil colour 'Ruapehu From Ratamaire Road'. After the problems in finding a venue, it was a great relief when the Ohakune Club Committee generously offered the use of the upstairs lounge in their new clubrooms to hold the 1982 exhibition. The lounge became the venue for the exhibition for the next six years. Hard work With increased entries and the greater amount of work involved, a committee was formed to help with the organisation. Con-venor/secretary of this first committee was Mrs Bea Barnes with Mr G McKenzie from the Wanganui Savings Bank as treasurer. Mrs Margaret Horne, Mrs Nita Wilde, Mr D Harvey and Mr

Deryk Browne were committee members. The Wanganui Savings Bank, the Ohakune Borough Council, Turoa Skifields and the Ohakune Promotions Association all sponsored an award which increased the number to include: 'The WSB Premier Award', 'The Turoa Skifield Award', 'The Award for Oil Colour', 'The Award for Water Colour,' 'The Award for Work in any Other Medium' and 'The Award for the Best Entry by an Artist who had not Previously Entered Work in any Other Exhibition'. For the third year in succession the major award was won by Mrs Judy Johnstone of Feilding with an oil colour entitled 'Tettoe River Hawke's Bay'. With the increased sponsorship from the Ohakune Borough Council the name of the awards was altered to 'The Turoa (Ohakune) Art Awards'. 1983 and 1984 saw the Art Awards consolidating their position with a further two sponsors. The Junction Ski Shop and the . Waimarino Bulletin , who

Ari awards 1 5 years on

From page 5 took over the sponsorship of the first-time exhibitor award. The Wanganui Savings Bank and the Ohakune Borough Council jointly sponsored the Premier Award. Mr Brian Carmody, president of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, judged the 1983 exhibition and the new winner of the Premier Award was Mrs Lyndon Wilson of Otorohanga with her oil colour entitled 'Rangitoto Range' Change 1985 heralded further changes. After six years

as convenor, Bea Barnes and daughter Dorothy decided it was time to stand down and Mrs Ellen Gould and Mrs Margaret Horne became the joint convenors with Mrs Cynthia Dowsett as secretary. The retiring mayor of Ohakune, Bill Taylor, became the patron of the Art Awards. The mayor of the newly formed Waimarino District Council, Garrick Workman, agreed to formally open the exhibition. Miss Elizabeth Baigent became the sponsor of the Premier Award which was increased to $1000 and

the winner of this award for 1985 was Mr John Scott of Wanganui with 'Sonnet Series Line Seven, Light Denied'. This painting also won 'The Award for Work in any Other Medium'. A local artist, Mr Gordon Pepere of Ohakune, won 'The Waimarino Bulletin Award' for the first time exhibitor with a work entitled 'Ruapehu Conquers Pihanga'. Miss Elizabeth Baigent offered to increase her sponsorship to $5000 for a period of three years. Two new awards were added for the 1986 exhibi-

tion. 'The Turoa District Award' for the best entry by an artist resident in the Waimarino District, which was won by Mr Ashley Watt of Ohakune with an oil painting entitled 'Topene Tememaku Chief of Wanganui*. Mr Tony Arthur (now president of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts) judged the exhibition. Young artists Miss Baigent sponsored an award to encourage young artists, this to be known as 'The Barnes Young Artists Award'.

Owing to lack of entries, the award was not made for 1986 but a donation of $500 was given to Ruapehu College to further interest in the arts. 'The Premier Award' of $1000 was won by Mr Don Hill of Taupo with a fine oil colour entitled 'HighTide'. With the added sponsorship and the income received in commission from the sale of artists' work, the financial position enabled the amount of each award to be increased and 'The Premier

Award' was raised to $2000. 1988 marked the 10th anniversary of the exhibition and was also the last year it was held in the Ohakune Club Lounge as a new restaurant was planned for the premises. Mr Brian Carmody, the retiring president of the Academy of Fine Arts, judged the exhibition and chose the oil colour by Ellinor Allen of Dannevirke, entitled 'Takapou Ruahine Ranges' as 'The Premier Award' winner.