Countdown to Manawatu Art Expo

The Feilding & District Art Society

It's July already… and that means Manawatū Art Expo is only two weeks away! For the next 14 days, we're going to be counting down to Manawatū Art Expo by sharing the stories of some of the artists exhibiting at this year's event.

With more than 90 artists involved, we won't get through everyone. Instead, these Artist a Day Posts will give you a little preview of the brilliant artwork set to go on show when Manawatū Art Expo goes on show from 15-17 July.

Our first Artist A Day for 2022 is Palmerston North-based painter, Katharine Collin.Katharine is an artist who loves detail. Drawing inspiration from her European travels, Katharine finds satisfaction in painting scenes with bright red bricks, crowded cobblestone streets and ivy-covered buildings. As she paints each stone, each leaf or brick, she is transported back to those places and the precious memories she made there. And so, in her works the viewer too is transported to faraway locations, sharing the moment that inspired each painting.

In discussing her works, Katharine explains that she hasn't always been a painter. In fact, she spent a lifetime admiring the watercolours produced by her sister, Rosemary Powell. It was only 10 years ago, during a visit to her sister in the UK, that Katharine finally decided to dabble - first with pencil sketches, then with ink and watercolour pencils. Nowadays, she works primarily with acryics, explaining that ""after seeing a demonstration at the Art Expo by the amazing Vonnie Sterritt some years ago, I signed up for her classes. Vonnie introduced me to acrylics and I now enjoy working with them [because] they're so versatile.""

Katharine describes her art as a journey, one where she is is still evolving, still learning, but loving every moment.

If you'd like to see more of Katharine's work, join us at Manawatū Art Expo - Palmerston North Conference and Function Centre - 15-17 July. It's only $5 to enter, and under 14s can come along for free!

To see more Artist a Day Posts, and to stay in the know about all things Manawatū Art Expo, make sure you 'Like' Feilding and District Art Society on Facebook.