Bright Wings

New Masterton arts initiative

Getting art and music out in the community is a new initiative by Masterton Councillor Jeff Workman who wants to make Masterton a more interesting and vibrant place.

This initiative is being launched tonight at Cafe Cecille - from 5.30 to 7 pm - with an exhibition by Greytown artist Linda Dennes, combined with a free gig by Wairarapa Concert Youth Band. It is hoped this will be the first of a regular series of arts and culture events.

Mr Workman hopes to foster street art and other vibrant forms of art and encourage other organisations to stage art and music events.

Tonight's event:  Linda Dennes art exhibition, with Masterton Concert Youth Band, 5.30 - 7 pm, 1 September, Cafe Cecille, Queen Elizabeth Park, Masterton.

Other musical events this week in Masterton

Dr Ron Newton, organist, will be performing a Victorian Matinee at St Matthew's, Church Street, Masterton, Wednesday, 2 September at 2 pm, tickets $10, students free

Rami Bar-Niv, international concert pianist, will be performing at "The Landing", Landsdowne Park Village, 100 Titoki Street, also on Wednesday, 2 September at 7.30 pm, tickets $20.

Having two concerts by distinguished performers on the same day is a great pity and points to the need for coordination between groups providing musical events. There is an opportunity for Destination Wairarapa to help here.

Round-the-Bard in 90 minutes

Celebrated New Zealand actor Ray Henwood will be presenting his solo show

All The World's A Stage

at Aratoi on Friday, 7 August at 7.30 pm.

Ray has a huge interest in and love of Shakespeare and has performed in many of his plays and will take you on a personal journey through the astonishing art of the undisputed 'World Champion of Everything': Comedy, Tragedy, Drama, Horror, History, Suspense, Romance....

Inspired by Sir John Gielgud's Ages of Man, he has selected extracts from the plays and poems which show Shakespeare's genius for making us laugh, cry and hold our breath with excitement.  He offers Romeo, Shylock, Prospero, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Falstaff and a host of other enchanting characters sure to surprise and thrill.

All the World's A Stage is being performed as part of Compleate Workes, 2009, coordinated by the Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ.  Compleate Workes is a celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare's sonnets.

Peter Hambleton directs this production.

Bookings:  tickets ($25) are available from Aratoi - Wairarapa Museum of Art and History

Tony Lane at Aratoi

Tony Lane is one of New Zealand's pre-eminent painters and Aratoi (Wairarapa Museum of Art and History) is holding an exhibition of his work.

Tony Lane, A Survey is a collection of paintings and ceramics which extend from his time at art school in 1967 until the present day, drawn from private collections around New Zealand.

The exhibition runs till 13 September 2009.

Tekau Ma Rua

The King Street Artworks are one of the quiet success stories of the Wairarapa, for many years providing a creative opportunity for people who use or have used mental health services.

Their 12th Annual Exhibition - Tekau Ma Rua - is on at Aratoi.  It's full of vibrant, engaging art and is well worth a visit.

Foolish behaviour by Masterton Councillors

The Wairarapa Times-Age has a disturbing report about a formal complaint laid against Masterton District Councillor Brent Goodwin.

Aratoi director Marcus Boroughs has laid a formal complaint, accusing Mr Goodwin and other councillors Roddy McKenzie and Chris Peterson of intimidating the temporary female worker at a meeting at Café Strada.

Mr Boroughs said the girl had arranged to meet Mr McKenzie to talk about a temporary job on his Mauriceville farm and first assumed the other two men were farm workers.

Mr Goodwin has admitted he offered the worker free movie tickets in exchange for "accurate" visitor counts at Aratoi, and has also claimed full responsibility for the approach, stressing the other two councillors are innocent.

Irrespective of whether the formal complaint has any basis, it is never a good idea for councillors to meet junior staff members of an organisation which has a contract with the Council behind the back of that organisation's management.  Whatever the reason.

Councillors need to remind themselves of one of the key planks of their own Code of Conduct which states:

Honesty and Integrity - Members should not place themselves in situations where
their honesty and integrity may be questioned, should not behave improperly and
should on all occasions avoid the appearance of such behaviour.

According to the Code of Conduct, complaints are to be heard by the Conduct Review Committee. The results of their findings will be awaited with interest.

Tekau Ma Rua

The 12th annual King Street Artworks exhibition - Tekau Ma Rua - opens at Aratoi Museum on Saturday, 20 June.

Sunday afternoon at Aratoi

Lunch at Entice Cafe, followed by a wander round Aratoi, is a great way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon.

Current exhibitions include:

• Peonies - by Stella Warren. These are stunning; with winter upon us rather suddenly this year we need reminding that spring is only a few months away.  Pictured above is Companion of Serenity.    


• The Future of Food.  This is a fascinating, interactive exhibition that makes you really stop and think about what we eat now, what we should be eating for optimal health and what food in the future will be like.

  Amazing touchscreen exhibitions are fun to try out, and illuminating. Take the family or grandchildren.  Lots more interesting information on the MORST (Ministry of Research, Science and Technology) Website




• Imaging New Guinea.  This different and thought-provoking exhibition, from the National Gallery of Australia shows how Papua Niuginian artists have responded to use of pen, woodcuts and screenprints in the contemporary world. 

  Images linked from www.aratoi.org.nz