thisNZlife

WHANGANUI

Artists in the city and surrounds have etched, grown and upcycled the ordinary into the extraordinary. In the coastal suburb Castlecliff, ceramicist Ivan Vostinar has transformed a former supermarket into his home and the Vostinar Gallery, a space for showcasing his extensive collection of sculptures, paintings, and ceramics. Ivan, formerly the ceramicist for

The Lord of the Rings trilogy, also uses his talents to beautify the area. So far, the green-thumbed potter has planted the entire street with succulents.

In the town proper, nook-and- cranny gems and public works are plentiful. There’s a three-for- one special at 85 Glasgow Street Art Centre, an art-filled house with a Latin Americaninspired café and a trio of galleries under one roof. Across town in Old Whanganui, head to the Quartz Museum of Studio Ceramics for a whopping collection by local and overseas ceramicists. The museum, the brainchild of renowned potter Rick Rudd, is the only museum of its kind in the country.

For those who prefer to get hands- on, beginner-friendly glassblowing workshops at the nearby New Zealand Glassworks are extremely popular — plus, there’s an on-site gallery begging to be perused. (Book well in advance as these workshops sell out quickly.) This is an eclectic part of town worthy of exploration; walk around the same block to find Article Café — a place to break for coffee, art and vintage curios — and Orphic, a contemporary art gallery.

A short drive away is Māori artist Cecelia Kumeroa’s 7- 5-metre-tall corten-steel waka sculpture, named Waka

MaumaharamoPuraMcGregor, which stands at the northwest end of Virginia Lake. Original kowhaiwhai (a traditional pattern) is laser cut into the memorial waka in honour of Te Pura Manihera McGregor, a prominent figure from Whanganui’s past.

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2022-05-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thisnzlife.pressreader.com/article/283188676939744

NZ Lifestyle Magazine Group