Jay Farnsworth - RED Gallery
“Art is not a choice. Art is air.”
Carol Stensrud.
Nelson has seen a proliferation of galleries in the last 3 years which is an important addition to an already thriving art scene. The art gallery provides a place to escape to, a place to be still, to be energized, calmed, irritated or excited. It provides for artists who do not want to market their own work, and this can [be] done by supportive people who are passionate about their choice of career.
The relationship between an individual artist and the dealer is an extremely important one and can be the making of both.
As public art galleries and museums get bigger and more grandiose, the place of the small and personal gallery becomes even more valuable. The intimate setting - a regular destination.
Art galleries in Nelson are as diverse as the artists working in their own studios - visit them all if you can, and enjoy.
Wallace Sutherland & Linda Atkins, Co-directors Catchment Gallery
“Te toi whakairo, he mana tangata”
Ngarino Ellis.
Where there is artistic excellence, there is human dignity. A slice of a dynamic dealer gallery's day is a window onto the changing face of the Nelson art scene. Contemporary Maori and Pacific Island artwork, and Nelson's favourite artists, share space with respected earlier artworks from Nelson's art history. 'Mana' flows from a Toss Woollaston, or a Doris Lusk. Buyers, students or just curious visitors are assisted with research on such artists. Today's emerging artists have a significant stake here too; encouraging them to be professional and committed. Ever-changing exhibitions are presented to the people of a pacific rim port that attracts sophisticated art buyers. The Nelson public clearly enjoy the changing mix. Accessibility is a basic aim; allowing quality art to be well-presented, explained and available. In this way, general awareness and perceptions are lifted, increasing the public's involvement. |
