Exhibition by artist Catherine Houston and photographer Richard Gemmell
Raglan Old School Arts Centre, 5 Stewart Street, Raglan.
Open daily 10am to 2pm from Monday September 3rd to Friday September 28th.
The fog in the valleys, or the first rays of light upon the ridges are the kind of moments which contribute to a feeling of place. All places do have a special feeling. Especially when we stop and take time to really observe our surroundings. It is this feeling of place which artist Catherine Houston and photographer Richard Gemmell hope to have captured in their upcoming exhibition in the gallery at The Old School Art Centre.
The exhibition will open on Monday, September 3rd and run until Friday, September 28th. The gallery will be open daily from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.
Catherine Houston studied Fine Arts and Graphic Design in the 1970’s. She later completed her Teaching Degree and taught Art in various schools throughout the Waikato. Catherine has always worked as a free-lance artist for commissions, local and national exhibitions. She has exhibited in the biennial New Zealand Portrait exhibition and in Soul Gallery in Hamilton. Catherine is now retired and living in Raglan overlooking the ocean and Mount Karioi.
Catherine’s subject matter shows the interaction of structures on the landscape whether they be animate or inanimate.Her intention is to pare back the landscape to a more simplified form and to instinctively apply blocks of colour.
Catherine’s more abstract works are a reflection of her travels to the south of England. Her intention is to convey the atmosphere as well as the detail found in the coastal scenery.
Richard Gemmell has been a hill country sheep farmer for all of his working life.With living and working on the land he has formed a close affinity with that land. Having now retired and living in Raglan he is now enjoying the seascapes which abound locally.
Richard is an amateur photographer who has always had an interest in taking images with his camera. Attending a workshop in the Wairarapa with Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson and New Zealander Sally Mason triggered an upsurge in Richard’s interest.He has subsequently attended a number of further workshops with Sally. His aim with his photography is to look closely at the colours, patterns and shapes and to capture something of the feeling of a particular time and place.
It was great to see all the folk who attended the “meet the artists day ” on Saturday. It was satisfying focus artists to have the opportunity to explain what we were trying to do with the images we had created. Thanks to the Old School for the space, and those who have turned up to check us out.