Our Easter bunnnies have arrived early...

Miserable weather outside today but warm and toasty in the gallery...drop in and share an Easter chocolate with us!

Bronwynne Cornish's Mr and Mrs Lapin

Last day of the John Roy exhibition...

Becky Bliss show until the 15th...

This striking neckpiece by jewellery artist Becky Bliss is part of her current exhibition of work at AVID.  Pentimento is showing until the 15th of April.

Becky Bliss Neckpiece, oxidised copper, stg. silver, paint

Looking around the Biennale in Sydney...

The theme this year is Imagine What you Desire. 

http://www.biennaleofsydney.com.au/19bos/artists/horn/

This cast glass installation of work by Roni Horn called "Nine Liquid Incidents" 2010-12 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney had to be one of the most beautiful works of the Biennale.

A landscape of constructed puddles; small lakes of watery blues and greys. Each form drew you to it, playing with your mind…inviting you to touch the surface to find out just where it was and urging you to plunge your hands and arms into its silky, liquid depths.

AVID will have some smaller but equally beautiful art works from our glass artists coming up in our group glass show, "The Nature of Things" from the 5th-19th August! 

Roni Horn,  Nine Liquid Incidents 2010-12, solid cast glass
MCA Sydney, Australia

Roni Horn, Nine Liquid Incidents 2010-12, solid cast glass
MCA Sydney, Australia

Roni Horn,  Nine Liquid Incidents 2010-12 (detail), solid cast glass
MCA Sydney, Australia

Roni Horn, Nine Liquid Incidents 2010-12 (detail), solid cast glass
MCA Sydney, Australia

Last week in Canberra...

Judith was in Canberra last week for a family wedding and seized the opportunity to visit Auckland ceramic artist John Parker who is working on a new body of work as artist in residence at the Australian National University in the School of Art ceramics workshop.

The sump-oil fired black work he has produced is quite amazing…

See his fascinating blog…http://parkerejohn.blogspot.com.au

…the kiln used for the sump-oil firing

…see John's blog site for pics of the amazing transformation of these vessels

…work almost ready for final firing

John sitting at his wheel in the workshop...

...after the floor talk

Bronwynne and Dorothy at the MTG Hawke's Bay following the  opening of Bronwynne Cornish's survey exhibition, "Mudlark" and Bronwynne's floor talk on "Home is where the heart is".
Produced over a forty year period, this extraordinary and wonderful collection of otherworldly work connects people and place, heart and soul.

http://www.mtghawkesbay.com/whats-on/exhibitions/mudlark-/information/

AND...

these green tourmaline, citrine and Rhodolite garnet rocks from Kobi Bosshard that arrived in at AVID yesterday are pretty stunning too!

Rainer Beneke's 1/4 carat, solitaire diamond is far less battered...

Diamonds...

mmm...AMAZING, but our artists' diamonds aren't as battered as this beauty!

Rough diamond hints at vast quantities of water inside Earth...

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/mar/12/rough-diamond-water-earth-wet-zone

The diamond is pitted from its violent journey, which ended with the stone shooting up through the Earth's crust at around 70km/h. Photograph: University of Alberta

Tuesday exhibitions opening...

A celebration of wonderful new work by three of our artists; Stephen Bradbourne and Lyndsay Patterson's GlassGlass and Helen Holmes' Cult of the Kauri jewellery collection.

If you're on the lookout for something special this work is well worth a visit. The exhibitions will run until the 18th March.

opening night guests

Don Abbott (ART NZ),  Stephen Bradbourne, William Dart (Art NZ)

Getting ready for the Academy of Fine Arts' Kete 2014...

Opening tomorrow night, Wednesday 26th February at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington and then four days of wonderful New Zealand art, lectures and seminars at the Academy on Queens Wharf and other selected venues. 

http://www.nzafa.com/web/kete-art-fair-and-symposium-27-february-2-march-2014

This year AVID will be featuring jewellery from Peter McKay, ceramic tiles from Scott McFarlane and Murray Camden Glass (David Murray and Emma Camden). 

Howard preparing the Scott McFarlane tiles for the AVID exhibit

Debbie Adamson...new work to see @ AVID!

Two beautiful neckpieces from Debbbie Adamson that explore and embrace new materials. 

They were made during the Handshake project, http://handshakejewellery.com/,

that connected twelve contemporary New Zealand jewellery artists with a mentor of their choice...Debbie's mentor between 2011 and 2013 was the extraordinary, Swedish artist Hanna Hedman. http://www.hannahedman.com/

Definitely worth a look!

Schist and Creeper, 2011, rubber

Floral Necklace, 2012, powder coated copper, rubber

Need a special something for Valentine's Day???

We have lots of beautiful jewellery and objects to choose from...including these gorgeous, stylish earrings that arrived in from Pauline Bern yesterday.

 

 

 

Earrings - 9ct g, stg silver...Pauline Bern

Earrings - 22ct g bead drop, stg silver...Pauline Bern

Earrings - sodalite drop, 9ct g, stg silver...Pauline Bern

Earrings - crescent stud, 9ct g, stg silver...Pauline Bern

Martin Carryer Exhibition

Martyn's Birds and Us is up and looking amazing...it's visually and conceptually engaging with a witty and humorous touch... so come in and have a look!

Barry Clarke

...a privileged glimpse of Barry working away in his studio yesterday.

Watch out for Barry's next show coming up at AVID on the 6th May...lots of paintings, sculpture and jewellery!

John Roy...

"Reflectors" pink and blue have been packed today and have gone with Bev Eng (Collections and Touring Manager, The Dowse) to be part of The Dowse Art Museum's upcoming "Slip Cast" exhibition which begins on February 15th.

As well as John Roy, other artists in the show include: Francis Upritchard, Suji Park, Kate Newby, Paul Maseyk, Madeline Child and Kate Fitzharris.

http://www.newdowse.org.nz/en/Exhibitions/Future-Exhibitions/Slip-Cast/

Merilyn Wiseman Echo Vases

...are up and are sitting there looking absolutely fabulous in the gallery.

.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Well...2014 is underway and Wellington is in its usual, lovely, relaxed January mode. The sun is shining today and we all know that hot, sizzling weather is just around the corner...

We have just put some very special work on show from renowned jewellery artist Peter Deckers. The pieces cover a period of time from the late '80's through until 2012. Drop by and have a look before they go up on the website!

Pointers brooch, stg. silver diamond pad. c2008

Flag series brooch, oxidised stg. silver. c1990

Flag series brooch, stg. silver cutouts. c1989

For any of you who are unfamiliar with Peter's work you can follow these links to find out more about him. His work is represented in private and public collections both in NZ and overseas.

www.handshakejewellery.com/curator/

http://www.craftinfo.org.nz/cgi-bin/WebObjects/ArtFind.woa/3/wa/publicView?seekType=3&artistCodeToShow=petedeck&artistCraftinfoPageView=about

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 Dorothy, Janet and Judith wish you all a wonderful and joyful Christmas!

 We will be closed Christmas day, Boxing day, New Years day and January 2nd.

...and there will be limited opening hours from 11.00am - 3.00pm until January 6th when we resume our normal hours of opening.

Looking forward to seeing you all in 2014!

Only six sleeps to go!!!

The amazing Frances Stachl "Smarties" necklace has gone!!

BUT...we now have a very summery, multi-stone Barry Clarke necklace in the gallery. Each of these necklaces is unique...the last one on show at Avid was snapped up by a collector and has now arrived at its new home in New York.