inspiration through exploration: new zealand

We drove New Zealand from Auckland (very near the top of the north island) to Queenstown (very near the bottom of the south island) and saw quite a few amazing views along the way. Besides the epic landscapes, there was a ton of art to see too!

We started at the Botanical Gardens in Auckland where Debbie Fish, a friend from my residency in Iceland had some works installed as part of the Sculpture in the Gardens tour. The gardens themselves were gorgeous but the sculptures made it even more intriguing to wander through the plants. Below are a few of my favorites from twenty pieces installed…

L to R: Debbie Fish ‘Urban Invasion’, Jane Downes ‘Bee Haven’, John Ferguson ‘Breathe’

While I was still working in Taiwan, I randomly met Sarah McClintock ; the curator of the Suter Gallery in Nelson, New Zealand,. Nelson is at the very top of the south island, so after we crossed over on the ferry, we made sure to stop in on our way through town. I was lucky to get a tour of the beautiful Fire & Earth ceramic exhibit and I got to say hi again to Sarah. So grateful for her taking the time to show me around! Here’s a sampling of this exhibit which was all ceramic artists from the northern part of the south island:

L to R: Katie Gold ‘Moutere Garden Colour Swatch’, Daryl Frost ‘Visual Domestic Ware’, Erika Aupperle ‘Moving Line’

As we made our way to the bottom of New Zealand, we found our way to the coastal town of Dunedin. Despite an insane rain storm, we braved the weather and went hunting through the downtown area for some street art. There were some pretty striking pieces hidden around alleyways & parking lots, and if we hadn’t gotten soaked through, we would’ve looked for more!

check the city of Dunedin for artist credit on these beauties!

From top to bottom, in all mediums, high brow and low, New Zealand has got its art scene going on! So grateful for this art adventure!

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