TARANAKI

Galleries, studios and antique stores dotted along SH3 and SH45 require a leisurely pace with wiggle room for pitstops. Otherwise, one could miss what lay in places such as Pātea, a town that became world-famous for the Pātea Māori Club’s 1984 smash hit Poi E. Gallery Pātea, a small non-profit on the main street, is deceptively chocka with not-to-be-missed pieces, including kete, carvings, prints, and photography.

Jo Stallard and Stuart Greenhill’s Fenton Street Arts Collective in Stratford wasn’t meant to be a café; the original concept was to promote their gallery by offering espressos to wandering visitors. Their apartment is at the top of the historic building (see NZ Life & Leisure, September/October 2019), while downstairs is an art gallery with works by Jo and others, a lively café and Stuart’s small gin distillery. On the opposite side of the mountain, textile artist Viv Davy’s From Out of the Blue Studio Gallery in Ōpunake features handmade textiles, weaving and blankets in a myriad colours and patterns.

In New Plymouth, the Govett- Brewster Art Gallery needs no introduction; the internationally recognized contemporary museum houses nine exhibition spaces, a 60-seat cinema and an art shop that is like an exhibition itself. This jewel in the crown is a must-see if only for the country’s first solo-artist museum, the Len Lye Centre.

( Tip: Consider stopping for lunch at Monica’s Eatery, an art café inspired by the life of arts patron Monica Brewster.) Nearby are CAS (Contemporary Art Space), a heritage building-turned- gallery thanks to local artist Reuben Paterson, and Gover St Gallery, an inclusive community gallery with artworks by hundreds of artists (some as young as 10). If you didn’t know where to look, one might never find The Jewel and the Jeweller down a nondescript alley (91c Devon Street West). Book ahead to learn how to forge a piece at one of the studio’s popular workshops or peruse the extensive range of contemporary jewellery that doubles as artwork.