A love of nature and natural forms

The perfect collaboration of nature and art, Nelson Classic Car Museum is proud to showcase the work of local ceramicist extraordinaire, Lynette Hirst, in their gallery store.

Lynette’s passion for creating artwork that can fit into any environment grew from a young age. Encouraged by her parents, and “an amazing art teacher” while still in school, Lynette started out with pencil sketching, before moving to painting and clay sculpting. “As with a lot of art students, intermediate seemed to be a turning point for me, I loved it. I had the most amazing teacher, Mrs Duffy, who took me under her wing and taught me about the old masters and their techniques. From that point I knew eventually art was where I belonged.”

With clay, the options are endless, says Lynette, who has enjoyed working with the medium for 16 years, dedicating herself to the artform, fulltime, for the last five years. From flowers to feathers and colours and shapes inspired to create original ceramic forms, every item she produces is designed, coloured, formed, structured, melded, decorated and fired by her own hand, and all pieces are totally unique. No two are the same. “It’s a bit of a cliché, but I consult with my eye and the natural beauty around me to create an abstract alternative.”

Having her Huia Pods selected for the Suter Earth and Fire Summer Ceramics exhibition a few years ago, and then two years later her Nerikomi work, has been a personal highlight for Lynette. “Also seeing my works being sold to private art collectors and some pieces leaving Aotearoa to find homes around the world excites me.” Several local galleries, including the Nelson Classic Car Museum, and others across the country feature her work, a recognition she is grateful for.

Working from her Tasman studio on the Coastal Highway, Lynette encourages all visitors to her gallery to call or text to ensure she is available. “Often the sign on the road will say closed but I may be here, and I welcome everyone. It’s always wonderful to listen to people’s comments and gauge their interest in various work. Everyone seems impressed with the intracity of my work and sometimes wonder how I have the patience to produce such items. I also work on commissions and enjoy the challenges that they bring. Ceramics are not an overnight production, and many take several months to make, dry, decorate and double fire.”

Supporting predominantly New Zealand artists, Nelson Classic Car Museum (NCCM) retail coordinator Kate Cooper says that the majority of their inventory is from local artists. “We stock as much local talent as possible. A lot of careful thought goes into securing pieces for the NCCM store. We want people to be able to decide on something that is a true delight – whether it be a small memento or a unique piece of art - and we love Lynette’s work for this very reason.”

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