Long search for artist pays dividends

Returned Services' Association Queenstown branch president Dave Geddes (left) admires the newly installed artwork at the Queenstown Memorial Hall with artist Bill Clarke, of Roxburgh. Photo by Christina McDonald.

After a lengthly search for an artist able to create a piece of memorial art to the exact specifications of the Queenstown Memorial Hall Trust and the Returned Services' Association, Roxburgh man Bill Clarke was selected.

The art needed to depict a soldier standing over his comrade's grave - in the form of a cross - at Gallipoli, and Mr Clarke has created this in stainless steel.

From different angles or at different parts of the day, the work shows lighter or darker shades and can also be perceived as either 2-D or 3-D, depending how close the viewer is.

''It has a lovely mystical effect, especially in late evening,'' Mr Clarke said.

''We wanted to incorporate the colours [of the refurbished memorial centre] and the stainless steel effect seemed to be the best look.''

Inspiration was drawn from old photographs and the art took roughly a month to complete at his workshop in Roxburgh, where he runs his sculpture business Forged and Crafted.

''It was a great honour to do an image like this,'' Mr Clarke said.

Returned Services' Association Queenstown branch president Dave Geddes said Mr Clarke was chosen in December.

He said it had seemed for a while that they would be struggling to find a suitable artist.

''We were talking to the Massey [University] people and they came up with a number of possibilities but they didn't really fit the picture that we had in mind,'' Mr Geddes said.

''And we had spoken to Bill earlier on and he was really busy, but we pleaded with him.''

To say Mr Geddes is pleased with the depiction is an understatement, as he marvelled at the work from every angle after its installation on Saturday morning.

A roll of honour featuring the names of men and women from the Wakatipu district, including Arrowtown and Glenorchy, who died in the wars is being crafted in Wellington.

Mr Geddes said extensive research went into making sure the names were accurate.

''It looked for a long time that we would be struggling, but now we have two articles that are perfect,'' he said.

''It's going to improve the memorial aspect.''

In its former state, the memorial hall displayed a large cross on an outside wall, which Mr Geddes said gave the impression the hall was a church, and the old roll of honour had mistakes and showed only people from Queenstown.

With the $3.1 million upgrade of the memorial centre now complete, the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra and special guest James Hill will be the first to perform there, on Thursday.