
A decade of showcasing art at Kaiapoi’s Art on the Quay gallery is being celebrated with a 10-year anniversary exhibition.
The anniversary exhibition will include work from many of the artists who have had exhibitions in the gallery over the years.
The gallery has held 97 exhibitions since it opened in the Ruataniwha Kaiapoi Civic Centre, which was built to replace the earthquake-damaged former library building.
The centre also includes the Kaiapoi Library, museum, service centre for the Waimakariri District Council, plus public toilets and two public meeting rooms.
The gallery’s arts co-ordinator, Jackie Watson, who is also chairwoman of the Kaiapoi-Tuhahiwi Community Board, says she is unsure whose idea it was to include an art gallery in the civic centre.
‘‘I certainly suggested it, but may not have been the first,’’ she says.
‘‘It was very much driven by the community, the users, and it was a real privilege to be a part of that decision-making.
‘‘It has been a tremendous success because of the volunteers who have given up their time to organise each exhibition,’’ Jackie says.
‘‘As a group of art lovers we are very lucky to have council provide the building and fittings, and what a fantastic building it is too.’’
The first person to exhibit work at the gallery was craft artist and storyteller Mary Kelleher.
Her Stitch in Time Saves Nine exhibition opened on January 17, 2015.
Before that she was a guest artist at the 2014 Kaiapoi Art Expo.
It was at the expo where Mary exhibited her four-metre-long hand-sewn textile mural, depicting the history of Kaiapoi.
‘‘At the time, I was a newbie to the world of crafting as an artist, of crafting as a vehicle to tell a story, then of having these stories rendered as published books,’’ she says.
More recently Mary has moved to Northland to live where she has created innovative craft projects, Handmade Histories and Sew Your Story.
Handmade Histories depicts several large murals illustrating early New Zealand life and Sew Your Story shows participants how to express themselves using craftwork.
Mary has work in the anniversary exhibition, which closes on February 12.