Refinery ArtSpace

When people of ethnic backgrounds are asked, "Where are you from?" not only does this question imply a lack of belonging, but it is also laden with assumptions. One of these assumptions is that there is a simple answer to the question, that they are from one specific place or background. In reality, people's backgrounds are complex and layered. Within this collection, each portrait offers a nuanced depiction, showcasing individuality while celebrating agency, strength, and beauty.

Award-winning artist Naomi Azoulay draws upon her own immigrant experiences to capture the rich cultural diversity of Aotearoa's communities. Through her artwork, she prompts viewers to contemplate the assumptions that often arise when
encountering people from different backgrounds. Immerse yourself in a vibrant and captivating collection of representational portraits featuring individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds in Aotearoa

Join Naomi also for an opening celebration 5.30pm Monday 15th July.

Alice Snow's "Cabinet of Unnatural Curiosities," is an immersive exploration into a world where whimsy meets the macabre. Explore mythical creatures and plants that come to life in vivid colour and intricate details. Inspired by the rich tradition of curiosity cabinets and taxonomy, this series invites viewers to delve into a realm where the boundaries between reality and imagination blur.

Come raise a glass and congratulate Alice at an opening festivity 5.30pm Monday 15th July.

Matariki hunga nui!

A selection of 19 Matariki artworks, created by community group Te Ohu Weka and led by local artists Robin Slow and Mat Tait, will be exhibited at the Refinery ArtSpace, Whakatū from Friday 19th July - Saturday 10th August. These works feature in

Maramataka Māori 2024-2025 | Te Ataarangi

Led by Robin Slow and Mat Tait, members of the community gathered at Onetahua Marae and collaboratively created artworks which have monoprints as backgrounds and then detail created using a variety of techniques.

Thematically, we reflected on the whakataukī:
“Ko te wai te oranga o ngā mea katoa”
“Water is the essence of life for all”

We considered the beauty of the many presentations of water – mist, rain, snow, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, springs, oceans, in fact, inclusive of all life carrying water. Then our focus turned to the challenges to the state of water in our country today and what we might do to protect and preserve this most precious essential life-giving resource.

All original artworks are framed and are for sale. Proceeds support reo revitalisation in Te Tauihu and Te Ataarangi ki Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui.

Please join us for an opening and a blessing Friday 19th July 5pm.

The Shinrin - Yoku Experience

Forest bathing captured on used brown paper

Alison Horn 2024
17 June – 12 July 2024

The art I have produced for this exhibition is in part due to my thrifty nature, love of the outdoors & the feelings of peacefulness I experience when I fully immerse myself in the environment. There is also great enjoyment in the challenge to capture what I see and express what I feel, thru this medium. While I am doing this I also see & collect rubbish, later trying to find an appropriate place for it to be reused or recycled or use it myself & that is how Works on Used Brown Paper began. What I like about used brown paper is that it comes with a bit of history, usually it’s creased, perhaps a bit stained & ready for a second life rather than becoming something to be got rid of.

Opening Celebration 5.30pm tonight Monday 17th June

Te Waipounamu
Abstract Landscapes/Streetscapes

Glenn Cormier 2024
17 June – 12 July 2024
Opening Celebration tonight 5.30pm Monday 17th June

Landscape photography, once a quiet refuge for contemplation, has become a fast food outlet, a place for a snack of quick bites, instead of a slow luxurious meal.
Considering this evolution, and over 150 years of history, developing an individual language in Landscape Photography is challenging.

The natural world explored in the landscape portfolio serves as a backdrop for evidence of man’s intrusion into that world. Evidence in the form of light trails painting the remote night sky. Evidence in the form of plastic, neon, steel and asphalt. These unnatural materials manifest their outsized complicity in man’s assertion: I am here.

In Our Hands
Sue Scobie 2024
17 June – 12 July 2024

"I was once asked whether I ever reflected on the impacts of climate change when making my ceramic work. A decade ago, the answer was ‘never’, now the visible impacts at some of my favourite coastal places are firmly embedded in my mind, particularly the loss of kelp forests due to marine heatwaves. There are also significant changes happening which we currently do not see due to the microscopic nature of those effects."

The work in this exhibition is intended to encourage viewers to look closely at what is in front of them, to reflect on what’s happening in the wider environment, and how we are responding to it, or not..

Opening Celebration tonight 5.30pm 17th June

Sue will be in the gallery 10am – 12pm Saturday 22 June if anyone would like to handle some of the work, or just have an informal chat.

Special Projects and Events Co-ordinator-Contract role

Arts Council Nelson are looking for a talented special projects and events coordinator to support and foster the creative sector in Whakatū Nelson.

Follow the link for details

https://recruit.chillifactor.co.nz/jobs/view?id=13647

Another artist talk you won't want to miss!

This Sunday the 26th May at 2pm.

Upcoming Artist Talk!

Installation Artist Sue Heydon examines the practice of fossicking for natural materials from mystical locations, to use in her work.

Date: Sunday 26th May
Time: 2pm
Venue: Refinery ArtSpace

Visit https://www.acn.org.nz/15-yr-celebration-programme.html to find out more details!

Don't miss this wonderful evening of connection and sharing!
Next week Wednesday 29th May at 5pm.

Upcoming Talk!

Following on from the successful 'Beyond Borders' exhibition at The Refinery in 2023, we have 'Bonds beyond borders' - an evening connecting the threads. The Global Stitch up is a creative hub and newly formed social enterprise for migrant and former refugee women.

You are invited to join the circle of women to weave stories, memories and find those common threads that give us a fabric of unity / kotahitanga. Thank you to our divine cousins at Cultural Conversations.

​Date: 29th May
Time: 5pm
Venue: Refinery ArtSpace

Visit https://www.acn.org.nz/15-yr-celebration-programme.html to find out more details!

Another amazing artist talk coming up this Saturday at 11am at Refinery ArtSpace!

Don't miss out!

Upcoming Artist Talk!

Noted kairāranga, Hamuera Manihera (Ngāti kuia/ Ngāti Koata/ Ngāti Apa/ Ngāi Tahu), who is also Kaitiaki Taonga at Nelson Provincial Museum, will be sharing his practice of weaving. Most recently he has been involved in the revitalisation of tikumu (Alpine Mountain Daisy) rāranga.

He will be talking about tikumu revitalisation and the process of harvesting and weaving this unusual, historic and treasured material and will also talk to taonga made from tikumu.

This kākahu (Māori cloak) is made in the kaitaka paepaeroa style using muka fibre – which comes from harakeke (phormium tenax) – coloured with a natural dye from native trees and iron rich mud (paru).

Date: Saturday 25th May
Time: 11am
Venue: Refinery ArtSpace

Visit https://www.acn.org.nz/15-yr-celebration-programme.html to find out more details!

# tikuma Hamuera Manihera

The shortlisted finalists work is on it's way and we are getting a little bit excited about another fabulous show. With 180 submissions it was the hardest deliberation of all and selectors considered over two days.

The Awards wouldn't happen without the help of our generous sponsors...

We welcome two new partners this year. Harcourts Nelson Tasman and NZ Textile Experiences who along with Dame Suzie Moncrieff are sponsoring our Awards of Excellence.

BERNINA New Zealand who's ongoing support has helped us to this milestone celebration rewarding artists that blaze the trail of exceptional and innovative practice with their prize for works produced with a sewing machine.

We gratefully acknowledge Nelson City Council and Nelson Tasman for their continued investment over the years.

Benjamin Black Goldsmiths returns this year sponsoring the People's Choice Award.

You are very warmly invited to the Gala Opening and Awards presentation on Friday 17th May 5.30pm

We have put together a programme of talks and events during the month of the show.

For more details go to:
http://www.acn.org.nz/15-yr-celebration-programme.html

Image detail: Hestia, Cindy Walters 2023 Caroline Fletcher - Harcourts Nelson .nelson

What a fabulous night had by all!

Celebrating the opening of the Nelson Pride Festival (April 5th - 21st) and Q***r, There and Everywhere with our friends at Nelson Pride Inc.

Q***r, There and Everywhere is an exhibition featuring locally based artists celebrating inclusivity and being your authentic self.

We also have one more week to view the sensational FROCKED, a celebration of Drag, gowns and garments. With a sneak peak and taster of the documentary QUEEN – a documentary celebrating the lives of drag queen pioneers and transgender trailblazers in New Zealand history produced by Ari Edgecombe With in depth interviews and narration by transgender activist, author and broadcaster The Divine Joanne Neilson.

Frocked showing until April 13th
Q***r, There and Everywhere April 5th - 11 May

All warmly welcomed.

Uniquely Nelson Nelson City Presents

Creating Her

Johanna Nyberg Rydström & Nomuna Amarbat (Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland)

Performance: Thurs 21 & Fri 22 March at 12:00pm & 5:00pm. Duration 25mins

In this experimental fusion of dance, theatre, and audience participation, unfolds a unique, unpredictable creation that invites you to explore the complexity of girlhood in real-time. A transformative experience giving rise to a collective celebration of identity, vulnerability, and the shared human experience.

Through working with patterns, devising techniques and provocations, we will be creating this work in real-time, in the space, alongside two other female-identifying artists. The framework we are using steps away from a product-driven process and instead steps towards experience, both for the performers as well as the audience. We’ll create this piece over three days, then performing the work across two days, which will keep evolving via the interactions with the audience.

Johanna Nyberg Rydström is an actor, dancer and maker from Sweden currently based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Her background is within movement and physical acting. She trained under one of Sweden’s most prominent physical actors and directors of commedia dell’arte; Micke Klingvall. At Kulturama Performing Art School she gained training in areas such as Grotowski, Lecoq, acrobatics, ballet and devising. Joanna is a recent graduate of Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School.

Telling stories through movement has always come naturally to her and making work especially for women and girls to be inspired/uplifted by will continuously be the foundation of her artistry. With Creating Her, Johanna hopes to further deepen her choreographic skills and methodology in creating work with/for women.

Nomuna Amarbat is an actor, emerging producer and creative based in Tāmaki Makaurau of Mongolian and Chinese descent. A graduate of the acting programme at Toi Whakaari; NZ Drama school, Nomuna has worked across theatre, screen and voice. Her credits include Chick Habit directed by Nahyeon Lee, Ngā Rorirori directed by Hone Kouka, and ‘Asian 8’ directed by Nahyeon Lee.

Nomuna is fuelled by work that is process-led and experimental, identity and culture driven, with a keen affinity for movement.
World Premiere!

Warnings Audience interaction (nothing intimidating!)

Creating Her is supported by Creative Communities Nelson and NCC Council.

FROCKED! A celebration of drag, gowns, and garments.
14 MARCH - 13 APRIL

We invite you to celebrate the beauty of diversity, the power of self-expression, and the transformative potential of fashion. This exhibition is a testament to the ever-changing landscape of drag aesthetics, and the unapologetic spirit of drag culture.

Curated with love, care, and deep respect, this exhibition is very proudly presented by Nelson Pride Inc. in collaboration with the Refinery ArtSpace.

When: 10am-5pm Monday to Friday / 10am-2pm Saturday
Where: Refinery ArtSpace, 114 Hardy Street

Last two days to view this beautiful exhibition of gouache paintings and patchwork textiles from Canadian artist
Jazz Danis | Fractured

This striking collection inspires dialogue through symbolic visual storytelling around a much larger conversation on mixed identity, and the complexities of a very active migrating human population. Born in the interior of Canada, Danis is influenced by vast wild homelands, and her diverse community. She offers us a pathway to conversations much larger than ourselves, rooted in some of the simplest human pleasures and tethers to the lands we call home. The name of this collection Fraktured is a play on words with the folk art practice of Fraktur within her Mennonite heritage, and the word fractured which represents the exhibit's theme of fragmented identity and how it has shaped her practice.

Jazz Aline Art

FROCKED!

A celebration of drag, gowns and garments

As you immerse yourself in the experience of FROCKED!, we invite you to celebrate the beauty of diversity, the power of self-expression, and the transformative potential of fashion. This exhibition is a testament to the ever-changing landscape of drag aesthetics, and the unapologetic spirit of drag culture.

March 13 - April 13.
Nelson Pride Inc.
Exhibited alongside Nelson Fringe Festival, https://nelsonfringe.co.nz
Creating Her https://nelsonfringe.co.nz/event/creating-her/ and
Q***r, There and Everywhere (Opening Celebration Friday April 5th)

What a fabulous month to look forward too!

And there's so much more. Tickets are selling fast...just saying.

Medea Piece of Work Productions takes you to a dark place with a brand new adaptation of Medea by Euripides by the UK’s Splendid Productions.

We are very excited to be one of the hosts for Nelson Fringe Festival again this year and we have an exciting dance fusion piece, Creating Her by Johanna Nyberg Rydström & Nomuna Amarbat (Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland) Creating Her will be evolving at the gallery

https://nelsonfringe.co.nz/event/creating-her/

Work-in-development: Mon 18 – Wed 20 March at 10:00am – 4:00pm
Performance: Thurs 21 & Fri 22 March at 12:00pm & 5:00pm. Duration 25mins

In this experimental fusion of dance, theatre, and audience participation, unfolds a unique, unpredictable creation that invites you to explore the complexity of girlhood in real-time. A transformative experience giving rise to a collective celebration of identity, vulnerability, and the shared human experience.

We're just a hop, hop, hop, hop, skip, skip and a jump away for the 2024 Nelson Fringe Festival!

You've got a few days left to submit an application for the 24/25 Year exhibition and events programme. Head to our website for details...

Woohoo can't wait!

We are live for the 2024 Nelson Fringe Festival - start revving your fringey-love people - it's going to be a blast!

Everything you need to know is at www.nelsonfringe.co.nz

The printed programme will appearing around town over the next week - you can pick one up at Refinery ArtSpace , NCC Civic House, Yaza Cafe and Nelson Library.

Have a read through, call your friends, and start booking those $16 tickets!

For over a decade, Australian-born David Ryan has helped Artistes based in Te Tau Ihu realise their potential through a highly successful program of advanced studio practise weekly art classes.

2023 was the last year David offered regular weekly painting classes and the students felt an exhibition of their work would be an opportunity to publicly show their achievements and advancement.

The exhibition 'Transition' features the art works of current students of the David Ryan Studio classes. Most of the students have been attending David’s weekly art classes over a period of years, including some who started in 2012, the year he started offering art classes.

You are warmly invited to an opening to celebrate their exhibition
5.30pm Monday 12th Feb

‘‘It is my mission through my artistic practice to stay true to my roots in reciprocity, to create beauty, and to provide tangible bodies for dialogue.’’
-Jazz Danis

This striking collection inspires dialogue through symbolic visual storytelling around shared humanities and our bodies as extensions of the living world around us.

Artist Jazz Danis was born in the interior of Canada, influenced by vast wild homelands, and her love for community. This collection offers us a pathway to conversations much larger than ourselves, rooted in some of the simplest human pleasures that tether us to the land. Each individual piece embodies our presence within our living environments, and how it has shaped us through time immemorial.

You are warmly invited to an opening celebration tomorrow evening.
5.30pm Monday 12th Feb

We shape the future from our shared understanding of the past.

The link between memory and storytelling is tightly woven and it is through these remembered stories that we construct our own personal view of ourselves and the world around us.

This collection of paintings highlight a sense of community and shared stories, they touch on the importance of collective memory.

Each painting presents its own narrative. In a plethora of pictorial elements you are presented with a starting point, of which your own life experiences and stories may mould the way you perceive and experience each painting.

'a contradictory mix of realism and romanticism, [Postles] subjects are often captured in honest and truthful moments but surrounded by rich, colourful and romanticized textures.' The Grey Place.

Join us for an opening celebration on 15th January 5.30pm

Stephanie Postles

Project Roadkill features contemporary jewellery and photographs by recent NMIT graduate Eva Kerer. Her works playfully challenge our perception of value and beauty by combining traditional materials with discarded objects found on the streets of Nelson. The photographs as well as the jewellery reframe fragments of our daily lives and invite the viewer to pause, pay attention to the trivial.

Opening Celebration 15th January. 5.30pm all welcome.

Eva Kerer

Arcane.

Understood by few; mysterious or secret.

Taceda.

Things better left unsaid;
matters to be passed over in silence.

Wistoragic.

Characterized by lingering sadness and nostalgia following the recent end of a great story or series.

A CALAMITY OF FORTUNATE EVENTS
15th Jan - 10th feb

[A remarkable debut exhibition. The artist wishes to remain anonymous]

Second Chance – Workshop

With Eva Vogt - Kerer

Join Eva for a morning of creative, experimental, and playful jewellery making. We will explore and use unconventional, recycled materials. As well as an introduction to working with plastics and basic cold join techniques there will be lots of play with the permission to fail.

The aim is to take away a fun piece of jewellery and plenty of inspiration to make more at home.

Eva Kerer is an interdisciplinary contemporary jewellery artist based in Nelson, who recently graduated from NMIT. Her practice combines traditional silversmithing as well as experimental techniques using found objects to explore our perception of value and craftsmanship.

Refinery ArtSpace | Saturday 3rd Feb | 10am - 1pm

Limited Spaces

$40 (includes materials, use of tools, morning tea)

Email your registration to [email protected]

Project Roadkill | Her work can be seen at the Refinery Artspace from the 15th January – 9th February

Very excited about this…

Introducing: THE BENCH School for Jewellery, opening in the heart of Whakatū in February 2024!

Dreamed up and created by our very own creative powerhouse Kay van Dyk, The Bench will offer jewellery making courses and workshops, tutoring as well as rent-a-bench spaces to help you make all your contemporary jewellery dreams come true!

Vouchers for workshops and courses now available to purchase through Kay via [email protected].

Give a follow, check out the website and make sure to come along to the opening come February - or visit when you're in town 💖

https://www.thebench.nz/

GET CRACKING | Marina McPherson Survey Exhibition
Textile Artist

Lyrics of popular music inspire designs of music icons. Vibrant and metallic threads bring figures to life with poignant statements of the world around us.

This body of work is inspired by Marinas' past employment of Domestic Drudgery. “I want to break free” speaks of her determination to be a full time artist. Creativity, sewing and daily connections are critical to her well-being as she endeavours to hone her skills and produce these delightful works. Marina has been a previous finalist in the Changing Threads Contemporary Textile Fibre Art Awards

Meet the Artist: Thursday afternoons during the exhibition. 4 Dec - 13th Jan.