Mid-January news from Wall to Wall Art

When summer is slow, buy some art.

Cloud 9, by Roz Speirs.

Welcome to the mid-January newsletter.

On Tuesday we had our monthly dance around the gallery, where each member takes their work and moves to another space, changing and enhancing the displays.

Feature artist

Tall Trees; Big Sky, by Roz Speirs.

In the feature space at the front of the gallery, Roz Speirs takes her turn with a collection of work called Skies. Roz gives the background to her work (NB the pieces all come framed. These images have been cropped for clarity in the newsletter):

“The sky is the ultimate art gallery just above us.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson⁠

The idea for this exhibition was sparked by a Facebook group I follow called The Cloud Appreciation Society. Their page is filled with gorgeous photos of different skies, sunsets and sunrises from around the world, photographed and uploaded by members who share an appreciation and admiration of these beautiful natural formations.

Having grown up on the west coast of Scotland, the predominant sky of my childhood was a dull, flat grey colour which I could best describe as “living in a shoebox”. To me it felt oppressive and claustrophobic, flattening the light and my mood with it.

Here in New Zealand, we also have grey days, but overall the skies are more expressive and tell a story of what lies ahead each day, or of the day that has been.

For me, there is a sense of wonder and awe in watching cloud formations morph and change as they cross the sky; staring up into the depths of a clear starry night; seeing the light change as a storm approaches; or soaking up the changing colours of a sunset.

I have explored a range of different skies: endless stretches of summer blues; fluffy, scurrying clouds; dark impending storms; intense sunsets and sunrises; and night time skies including the elusive Aurora.

I have used a variety of techniques and materials to capture the different moods and atmospheres in each artwork. Sheet glass, glass powders and glass enamel paints have been combined in different ways to achieve this.

My hope is that in looking at these artworks, the viewer is drawn in and can feel the mood of each landscape of seascape by reading and feeling the sky.

Callanish Standing Stones; Isle of Lewis, by Roz Speirs.

Member news

Virginia Watson with her work at Art in the Park.

Collective members Virginia Watson, Barry Driver and Nicole Russell were among the 45 exhibitors at the 52nd Art in the Park in the Queen’s Gardens last weekend.

Virginia reports that the event was very well executed by the volunteer committee of Art Group Nelson, and sales were good.

Despite having to use the backup 'rain day', the sun shone, a lot of people came, enjoyed, and took something home.

Barry Driver at Art in the Park.

Barry reported good sales: “Scarily, it was my 17th year of attendance in a row and I really can't get my head around where all that time went.”

Nicole Russell enjoyed the sunshine.

Nelson Suter Art Society Summer Exhibition

Encaustic art by Sarah Williamson.

Many of the Wall to Wall Art collective are also members of the Suter Art Society and have work in the current Summer Exhibition in the McKee room at the Suter.

It’s a great exhibition. Works are replaced when they sell, so check out the last week and you may see something new. The show closes on January 26.

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