Estuary artists show resilience 

The theme of ‘Resilience’ underpins all the works in the annual Estuary Arts Centre Members Merit Awards. 

The awards attract work from a wide range of artists – this year more than 250 pieces, including painting, traditional printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, drawing and mixed media were entered.

Centre manager Kim Boyd says the work is of a high standard, and the winners chosen by judge, artist Andy Dunn, show a wide variety of styles.

Four local artists received Merit awards – Jill Bryce for painting, Tala Badie for an abstract work, Darlene Te Young for a pen and ink work called Shakespear Park No. 4 and Sonya Young for a work called Decades that the judge praised for its “playful steam punk style that perfectly fitted the theme of resilience”.

All the work is now on display at the arts centre in Ōrewa. The People’s Choice award is still up for grabs, with visitors able to enter until the exhibition closes on September 4.

“It’s always interesting to see what the people choose,” Kim says.

The awards and prizes were presented on Friday, August 12 and the works are on show at the arts centre until Sunday, September 4.