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Get ready for Little Jewels

Friends of Aratoi committee members will soon be contacting our loyal community of artists, who have supported us in the past, to ask if they will support us again when we run our biennial Little Jewels in November.

The fundraiser works like this: the Friends provide a canvas for artists to donate a work signed only on the back. At the opening, all the exhibits are available for sale at the same price, $150. There is an air of excitement as prospective buyers secure the works they like, while wondering who is the anonymous artist of their chosen work.

“From the sale of each work, $100 goes to Aratoi’s acquisitions committee. The other $50 pays for canvases and other expenses for the opening and to other Aratoi projects,” explains Sandra Debney, who is a member of the subcommittee planning the fundraiser.

“Little Jewels raises the most funds other than membership fees for the Friends,” adds fellow organiser, Stephanie Chilcott, who is already busy sorting the data base of artists.

“Traditionally the Friends always supplied canvases. We now supply primed stretched canvases of a uniform size, 8x10 inches (20.3x225.4cm). Photographs may be mounted and artists may supply their own canvases or flat boards, as long as the dimensions of the finished works are 8x10 inches. Artists should write the title and sign their names on the back, on the stretcher edge.”

Sourcing the canvases has not been plain sailing this year. Rob Sewell spent time online researching prices, quality and availability and followed this up with some footwork.

“The best product I identified was a doublethick canvas with high density weave and a sustainably sourced strong pine frame from Uncle Bill’s. However, supplies were limited and shipments unreliable because of covid.”

“I was impressed with the customer service from all the staff I phoned and visited in the Uncle Bill’s chain. They held stock at their stores for me to collect and shipped additional canvases from the Auckland warehouse to make up the numbers. We acquired all the canvases in stock throughout the lower North Island.”

After so much work going into acquiring the canvases, and with fewer canvases than usual, the committee is now intent on distributing them to our artists who will have until late October to complete their works.

“We’d like all works to be delivered to Aratoi between 25 – 28 October,” Debney says. “That gives time for the exhibition to be hung ahead of the opening on Friday 4th November.”

So once again the Friends of Aratoi are appealing to the art community to support Little Jewels. We are so grateful for your past contributions to sustaining Aratoi’s presence in the Wairarapa.

Rob Sewell, Megan Slight and Sandra Debney with canvases destined for Little Jewels, at Aratoi. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Local colleges do the bard proud

Below are the results for the Shakespeare Globe Centre of New Zealand (SGCNZ) University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival regional competition, held at Wairarapa College on April 13.

Best 15-minute scene: Richard III – Wairarapa College, directed by Will Tickner Best ve-minute student directed scene: Measure for Measure – Solway College, directed by Sheryl Chand. Barbara Vinten Shield for Comedy: Joshua Wiegman, as Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing – Kuranui College. Speech Communication Association Cup for Delivery of the Text: Janelle Hargood-Connor, as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet - Wairarapa College. Direct Entry to the SGCNZ National Shakespeare in Schools Programme: Aibhinn McCann-Bell – St Matthew’s Senior College. Colin Palmer Cup for Spirit of Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew - Wairarapa College, directed Baxter Ferguson and Rosemary King. Assessors’ Discretionary Awards Best Atmosphere: Measure for Measure – Solway College Best Eclectic Ensemble: Much Ado About Nothing – Kuranui College Best Beards: Hamlet and MacBeth – Rathkeale/St Matthew’s Senior College. Best Comedienne: Rosemary King, as Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew – Wairarapa College

DO WE KNOW YOUR DOGS?

Have you moved or got new dogs? Now’s the time to make sure your dog registration details are up to date. Update your dog account online via the Council website (www.mstn.govt.nz) to ensure you receive your dog registration in June. Would you like your registration emailed? Send your details to animalservices@mstn.govt.nz or phone 06 370 6300.