Real Art Road Show's Fiona Campbell with one of the big
rigs that transport her art collection. Photo by Marjorie
Cook.
Wanaka philanthropist Fiona Campbell's love of art was
sparked at school. Now, through her Real Art Road Show, she
shares her art with schools around the country. Marjorie Cook
reports.
Planning life after a windfall is a fantasy for most people.
But when Wanaka art philanthropist Fiona Campbell (39) sold
her shares in Sam Morgan's Trade Me internet auction site she
had to give some serious thought to "what now?"
Mr Morgan sold his company in 2006 for $750 million and Ms
Campbell was one of several small investors who received
several million dollars.
She hired two trucks and bought $1.8 million worth of art,
formed the Real Art Road Show Charitable Trust and sent three
full-time staff forth into the world to share her booty with
children.
Being able to live "with the wherewithal to think beyond the
survival stuff" is something the former graphic designer and
glass-caster never imagined as a seventh-form art pupil at
Wellington High School.
Her art interests were nurtured that year by artist and
teacher Rob McLeod and they are still friends, as well as
board members of the Real Art Road Show Charitable Trust
board and the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa.
"I reckon most people dream of winning Lotto. But I always
had a fairly comfortable and creative life, so I didn't put
much thought into winning the proverbial Lotto. But once you
get the chance [to answer the question], it's quite nice.
"There is only so much money a family needs to put food on
the table. What are you going to do with it then? It gets
boring, having the money sitting in the bank . . . and I feel
really excited about putting it back into the community," Ms
Campbell says.
The mobile galleries have now visited 336 of New Zealand's
6000 schools, being seen by more than 150,000 pupils.
Ms Campbell's inspiration is musician Gary Brain, who toured
New Zealand schools for more than two decades and shared his
musical passions with over a million school children.
He is a family friend and helped launch her road show in
2009.
Ms Campbell is totally focused on her road show after
stepping away from her career as a glass-caster, although she
still enjoys attending her favourite summer art school in
Wanganui.
She realised she enjoyed the wax stage of the casting process
(essentially, creating the holes for the glass) far more than
the casting.
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