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The ocean was the inspiration for the current Mangawhai Artists Gallery exhibition On the Same Tide, which showcases the work of two artists – Suzanne ‘Zan’ Simpson and Lael Read.
Simpson is a fine artist and illustrator, while Read is a ceramic artist working across wheel-thrown and hand-built forms.
Equally at home with oil paint and digital media, Simpson is also an illustrator who moves fluidly between the two.
“My work is deeply influenced by the ocean, colour, light and the rhythms of nature,” she says. “In this exhibition I aim to capture the movement, depth and reflective qualities of water. Through layered glazing, expressive brushwork, and subtle shifts in tone and luminosity, I build surfaces that echo the ebb and flow of the ocean.”
Simpson will be painting live during the exhibition, offering insight into her process and the evolving nature of her work.
Read’s work includes functional objects that invite daily use, while allowing space for variation, texture, and the subtle marks left by hand and process.
“This exhibition marks a departure from my usual functional work with a collection of entirely hand-built ceramic vessels inspired by the garden and the ocean,” she says. “The work focuses on form shaped slowly through touch, intuition and material response.”
Read also teaches pottery workshops, sharing practical skills and encouraging a thoughtful, hands-on relationship with clay.
On The Same Tide coincides with the Big Dig 35th anniversary and is on show until February 19.
Mangawhai Artists Gallery, 45 Moir St, is open daily 10.30am to 3.30pm (from 9am on Saturdays).
