Getting up and close on an Art Trail

In early March I had the pleasure of taking an early autumn trip to Thames-Coromandel District to visit the 58 talented artists in the Mercury Bay Art Escape.

What a beautiful country we live in, and the Mercury Bay coastline is no exception. I can see why the artists in this area are inspired by the beauty of the light, and lie of the land and sea.

The Mercury Bay Art Escape (MBAE) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Founded in 2006 it was the initiative of two local artists, Betty Collings and Dave Fowell. Now the open art studio weekend event is led with dedication and commitment by a group of Trustees and local artists. Patrons of the Trust are Michael Smither CNZM, and Fatu Feu’u ONZM.

The MBAE covers a big geographical area, from Whangapoua in the north, to Pauanui in the south, Opito Bay in the east, and Coroglen in the west.

Taking on a weekend Arts Trail is a commitment for the visitor, the artists, and for the organisers. There are maps to pursue and routes to plan. There is work to be made, displayed, and priced. There are trail books to be distributed and promoted around the country. 

Soon afterwards, after what seems a short period of rest, there begins a review of the weekend, looking at the data gathered, sending out post-communications to all the stakeholders, and then feeding all this knowledge into organising the next year.  Anyone who is involved with organising events knows the cycle of this work.

Putting on an Arts Trail is a beautiful invitation for both locals and visitors to come and explore your district. As a local, an arts trail can take you off your well worn paths, inviting you down new roads and driveways, often discovering new depths of the creative activity taking place in your community.

There might be a piece that you purchase to take home, or it might be that you learn about an opportunity to have a go yourself in a workshop, or a series of classes. All these connections help to build strong, thriving communities.

Attracting out-of-town visitors brings an economic boost for the whole community. Either side of visiting open studios, there are the needs of accommodation, food and drinks, shopping opportunities, and visits to other attractions in the area.

In my case on this latest trip, a dip at the beautiful Simpsons Beach. Last year, on the Coromandel Open Studios weekend, I told my fellow travellers that I would be quite happy to be left behind when they departed.

So, why commit as a visitor to an Arts Trail? Because experiencing art with the artist, in their studio or their home, with their story, in the context of their environment and their why, can be very different to other settings. How they got into their practice, what materials they work with, the process of making – these are all things that can be explored when you are face to face with the artist.

And if you want to purchase a piece of art, you will receive not only the story about it, but will have your own story of the journey you travelled to purchase it.

If you are interested in exploring more of our region, then committing yourself to an Arts Trail weekend is a great way to do it, and perhaps take a mini holiday at the same time. Personally, I’m interested to see how the changing landscape around our region shows up in the depth and breadth of artist studios.

So, open your calendar and keep an eye on Things To Do to find more regional Art Trails. Get out there and enjoy.

Written by: Adrienne Clothier, Creative Waikato team member