From the Committee

It has been quite the introduction to the role of President for Watercolour New Zealand, being at the helm during such disrupted and uncertain times. Something I couldnt do confidently without such a strong committee, we have held fast, navigated the challenges together and moved with agility. We are especially thankful for online technology and are now all experienced zoomers.

Now out of lockdown, Watercolour New Zealand activities are back in full swing. The committee is meeting in person again, but the realities of Covid-19 are ever-present with Chriss-Ann Menzies zooming in from Perth where she still awaits a flight home.

We are midway through the workshops scheduled and then rescheduled for 2020, all proving very successful with good attendance. Coming up for the second half of the year are two weekend workshops on drawing and painting birds with Kimbra Taylor, where she will share her techniques for soft, luxurious feathers. See details of these and our other upcoming workshops.

Winter has not been able to dampen our spirits, only our brushes, with 74 entries in The Gordon Harris Winter Competition 2020 a 54% increase on last year. The winning paintings can be vied here . A big thank you to Charlotte Hird for organising and coordinating this event.

Planning for this years Splash exhibition is well underway, with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts secured as the venue for another year. We are also pleased to share that it will be a joint exhibition again with the Wellington Potters Association. We are excited to announce our guest artist is Svetlana Orinko, an accomplished watercolourist who can capture light and form to create beautiful, lifelike representations of a wide range of subjects. We look forward to hosting her.

With a busy few months ahead, I look forward to continuing to work with the committee to provide opportunities to learn, engage in and appreciate watercolours.

Hannah Martis
President, Watercolour New Zealand Inc.