This month at the Methven Heritage Centre Art Gallery we are delighted to present a joint exhibition by three well known Ashburton artists, who are showing both conventional and contemporary works. Robin Arnst, Margaret Digby and Ngaio McKee are all showing their fabulous work this month.
Robin Arnst is best known for her multi layered or collage contemplative works. This way of working allows her the freedom to talk within the work about the feeling and spirit of the painting.
Graduating in 2003 with a Diploma in Painting from the Timaru Polytechnic, Robin now works from The Art Studio in Asburton’s Post Office Building, from which base she also runs Robin’s Art School, teaching children and young adults on their journey in art.
A working member of the the NZ Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington, Robin’s work has been accepted and hung in the Molly Morphets Exhibition in 2000, 2004, 2007 & 2011. Her last two exhibitions have been solo shows in the Ashburton Art Gallery in 2010 & 2012.
Margaret Digby's interest in painting began when she was a child, trying to draw landscapes of Mount Hutt from her parents’ farm at Rokeby. She has always wanted to be an artist and studied the subject at the Wellington Correspondence School and in 2003 gained a Diploma of Painting, Timaru Polytechnic.
She has two artistic styles – conventional and a more recently developed contemporary style.
She says, “I have always wanted to be an artist. Art is like a language. You have to learn it and then you have to keep on painting and challenge yourself.”
Margaret usually works from The Art Studio with fellow artists Robin Arnst and Alison Ramsay. She has taken part in numerous group exhibitions and held a solo exhibition in 2008 at the Ashburton Art Gallery. Her work has also achieved Merit Awards from the Ashburton Art Society.
Ngaio McKee of Ashburton is an experienced artist and examples of her work have a place in many homes both in Canterbury and further afield.
Ngaio enjoys sketching on location, favourite subjects being mountains rivers and lakes, old buildings, flowers and still life.
Her style is usually traditional but sometime ventures into abstraction. Although she prefers watercolour for some subjects, Ngaio is competent with other media and has a sound knowledge and enthusiasm for all aspects of drawing and painting.
Ngaio joined the Ashburton Society of Arts in 1977, and then as an adult student studied art and art history through the Correspondence School. She has taken part in numerous group exhibitions and her work has received a number of awards. In 2010 Ngaio held a solo exhibition at the Short Street Gallery in Ashburton.
The exhibition is on display until 1 August.
