The Sixth Art Salon – 90 Local Artists Look Forward to the Opening Ceremony
The 2022 Art Salon held by Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery New Zealand will commence on October 29th. This year's exhibition will be reverted from online to in-person. The 90 local artists participating in this exhibition will provide 400+ artworks, which have been further divided into 11 categories. These masterpieces are exhibited in both indoors and outdoors at Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) Art Gallery New Zealand. From October 8th, nearly 70 participating artists came to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple to submit their works to the organizer and interacted warmly with the staff.
Affinity Continues from Online to In-person
Owing to COVID-19 lockdown, the Art Salon last year was organised in the form of online exhibitions, and the virtual cloud exhibition halls left a deep impression in the artists. Lani Eyles from Rotorua, alongside painters Amanda Gleason and Patricia Hollis from Howick, made connections with FGY Art Gallery through the cloud and signed up to participate in this year's exhibition. "Even it takes more than three hours to get to FGY Art Gallery, I have to personally deliver the artworks here to support the in-person exhibition," Lani said. Akanksha has lived in New Zealand for over two years. She has participated in the 2021 Online Art Salon exhibition, and she often visits the Temple. She signed up for this year's Art Salon early. "Thank you to the organizer for not being afraid of challenges, even during the COVID pandemic, for holding excellent art exhibition without interruption and give positive energy to the public,” said Akanksha.
Georgia Spence, a children's book illustrator who also teaches at Bucklands Beach Intermediate, said, "After last year's Online Art Salon, I have been looking forward to the next exhibition, and this year I can finally send my work to this peaceful place for display. It's like a dream came true." Artist Roland Seibert was delighted to deliver his artworks to the Temple. He had been waiting for two years to participate in the exhibition. Roland visited the website and was touched by the description and marvellous pieces in the past exhibitions. He said his paintings are usually about 1.8 m to 2 m, so he brought two pieces of artworks along for the Art Gallery to select for the exhibition.
Artist Barbara MacKinnon has participated in the Art Salon last year. When she visited the Temple for the first time to deliver her artworks, she deeply felt the harmony of the Temple, the philosophy behind the One Stroke Calligraphy, the beauty of Prince Siddharta Exhibition and the stunning Temple building architecture. She had been to different temples in Thailand and other countries. Mosaic artist, Luis Casares has joined the online exhibition last year, his good friend, wood artist Niels Nielsen, has also joined the Art Salon for numerous times. They expressed that the exhibition hall every year has always been set-up nicely, and they feel reassured to pass their artworks to the Art Gallery.
Amalgamation of Eastern and Western Culture
In the past two years, some have been waiting for the border to reopen, and some have been looking forward to take off their masks. Painter Eion Bryant and his wife said that they had been waiting for their artworks to be sent to the temple for exhibition and were excited to get invited to participate in the "Indigo Flower Language – Wenjun Tang's Indigo Creations" exhibition. After looking at the Indigo exhibition for the first time, they were amazed that simple dyes can present such exquisite patterns and complex design, and the atmosphere of the whole exhibition was calm and peaceful.
In addition, sculptor Peter Mansfield had also been looking forward to delivering his artworks. He brought a number of artworks of different materials for the Art Gallery to choose from, "Finally, I have the opportunity to come to the temple for exhibition. In two years, I moved from Pakuranga to Snails Beach in North Shore, but I didn't forget the way back to the Temple." Sculptor Oriah Rapley said, "The atmosphere and wonderful works of Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery prompt people get indulged in the artworks. It is a pleasant collision between Eastern charm and Western creativity."
Painter Wendy Worley came to send the works together with her husband Bob. She participated in the 2020 Art Salon. When previewing the "Indigo Dyeing Exhibition", she said, "Each work is amazing, I recalled that I had been involved in tie-dying works about 30 years ago, and the tie-dying techniques have stuck with me. Tie-dye artworks inspired my creative inspiration, and next year, I will add tie-dye techniques to my creations.”
New Masterpieces from Old Friends
As a microbiologist, Painter Alhan Al Saqur is also one of Water Drop Vegetarian Cafe's regular customers. She and her family had taken part in the light offering to Buddha during the Inaugural Opening of Fo Guang Shan Temple North Island in 2013. "Venerable Master Hsing Yun's teachings let me realise that Buddhism is filled with wisdom, and it keeps me interested to further my deeper understanding. I hope my artworks can add on to be part of the temple's ambience," she shared. "Five years ago, I visited the Temple, and now after many years, the ambience and style have uprisen to a higher level," expressed Karlalise Horstmans, a painter but also a writer located in Devonport. She came across Art Salon by chance while looking for inspirations and saw the enlistment notice for artists' artworks on exhibitions. Karlalise signed up for the exhibition without further hesitations and had even promised to bring her children, family and friends to the opening ceremony.
Peter Brammer, a steel sculptor, and Julie Cromwell, a ceramic artist, once gifted their artwork "Balance" to the temple in Art Salon 2018. After a lapse of years, they undertook a 4-hour-drive once again and brought new art pieces to the Temple. "We finally have the chance to exhibit our artworks in the courtyard of the temple. Thank you to Abbess, who led the team and settled the artworks safely in the gallery after several adjustments so that the artworks could be presented at their best." Meanwhile, Painter Barbara Ruhdorfer, who had also driven 4 hours from Whangarei shared, "I changed my mind of delivering my artworks by courier services and decided to send it here personally. I was so touched when I saw my artwork placed under the "Themed Highlights". As an artist, it is hard to be recognized and be approved of, hence I am truly grateful for Art Salon for giving us the chance and strength for more future creations."
Ceramic Artist, Bob Kay, has been taking part in Art Salon since 2018, partaking in exhibitions for 4 years continually without fail. He is confident that his artworks will be purchased for collection after the exhibition in the Temple. "Although it is unfortunate for the last-minute decision on having to leave for a visit of a friend, who is unwell in the UK and missing out the opening ceremony on the 29th, today's meal at the Tea House had been a cheer up." He wishes for his friend’s speedy recovery and blessings of good health.
Photographer, Marina de Wit, is also one of Art Salon Exhibition's regular artists. Her artworks were mostly presented with the theme of flowers and many have always been pre-ordered the moment they were presented. Marina shared with the volunteers, "One of my artworks in the exhibition this year involves placing lots of fresh flowers into a huge water tank and was shot for over 40 times. The artwork was then produced with pictures layering on top of each other and adding the last touch of oil painting upon completion for a more exquisite yet 3-dimensional touch." Painter, Vjekoslav Nemesh, along with his student Wendy Worley, came to deliver his artworks. At the carpark, Nemesh sighed that the pandemic has kept everyone in social distances, he had nearly forgotten the paths of the temple after such a long lockdown. "I will be at the temple this weekend for live drawings on site, to enhance the bond with local community and to help the organizers to promote the event in my own ways," added Nemesh.
Making new friends, bringing hopes
Janette Jorolan Castroverde, an artist from the Philippines, said it was an honour to exhibit her artworks in such a beautiful place. She felt proud to join the exhibition as an Asian and it should be the pride of the locals too. Artist Liz Payne came to the temple with her granddaughter to deliver her artworks. Liz was amazed by the temple environment that’s rich in culture and wisdom, and she promised to bring her art group members and friends to this year's exhibition and be part of the Friends of the Art Gallery.
Viktoria Karaman, a fibre artist, vowed to have her artpieces exhibited in the temple when she visited here previously. She felt grateful as the Temple has provided a platform for her artworks. Artist Anastasia Katalkina also said, “Fo Guang Shan temple is unique, it feels like there is a diamond in this temple. Every time I walk in, it makes me feel peaceful, comfortable, and welcomed. I aim to bring 50 friends and relatives to view the Art Salon Exhibition.”
Sculptor Judy Rogers says she feels well taken care of whenever she visits the temple. The team takes care of her artwork carefully and professionally. Artist Karen Cullen loves to create colourful artworks. She came to the Temple recently and met other artists joining the Art Salon, she felt that she had found her group. Wendy Naepflin, a Flax weaving artist from Northland, is looking forward to the live demonstration with the public on the 30th. She hopes that the unique weaving art of New Zealand can be widely spread and passed on.
‘Appreciation’, ‘honour’, ‘joyful’, ‘peaceful’ are words that were commonly used by artists to describe the Art Salon. The diversity of the artworks uplifts and expands our hearts, and different voices represent the same joy. The 6th Art Salon Exhibition will be on display until 4th of December. Under the leadership of Curator Abbess Manshin, the collective creation of BLIA members will bring an aesthetic feast to the community again.