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Executive appointment – new director appointed at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
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Executive appointment – new director appointed at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Zara Stanhope as Director of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the city's leading public art gallery and home to the most extensive collection of national and international art in Aotearoa New Zealand.Dr Stanhope will start in the role on 2 March, 2026 and will lead the Gallery's strategic direction while overseeing its collection, exhibitions, education and public programme. The Gallery will continue to give priority to the art of Aotearoa New Zealand and toi Māori, alongside a strong programme of international art that engages audiences in Tāmaki Makaurau and beyond.Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill said he is pleased to welcome Dr Stanhope back to the Gallery."We look forward to Zara shaping the ...
Pasifika Festival to return with refreshed new look for 2026
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Pasifika Festival to return with refreshed new look for 2026

Pasifika Festival, one of the world's largest celebrations of Pacific Island culture, will again transform Western Springs into a vibrant hub of music, dance, and tradition next year.On 14 and 15 March, eight villages will host 11 Pacific Island nations for two days of live performances, dance, arts and crafts, and food. Since beginning in 1993, the festival has become a must‑attend event for many and a cornerstone festival of Auckland's cultural landscape.Next year's festivalgoers can expect to see a newly designed logo which amplifies Pacific cultural pride and contemporary identity.Co‑designed by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, which delivers the festival on behalf of Auckland Council Events, and the festival's cultural advisors, the new logo centres on the tapa cloth, a traditional barkclot...
Top Skills Every Aspiring VFX Artist Needs in 2025
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Top Skills Every Aspiring VFX Artist Needs in 2025

New Zealand’s visual effects (VFX) sector continues to expand, fuelled by global demand for high-quality content across film, television, streaming, gaming, and advertising. As the industry evolves, studios are looking for artists who can blend strong artistic fundamentals with modern, tech-driven capabilities. Here are the key skills VFX newcomers need in 2025 to stay competitive in New Zealand’s fast-growing digital production landscape. 1. Strong Artistic Foundations Despite rapid advances in software, traditional art skills remain essential. Understanding lighting, colour, composition, and perspective continues to underpin effective VFX work. 2. Proficiency With Industry-Standard Tools Studios may expect familiarity with tools like Nuke, Houdini, Maya/Blender, After Effects, and P...
Top Skills Every Aspiring VFX Artist Needs in 2025
Entertainment

Top Skills Every Aspiring VFX Artist Needs in 2025

New Zealand’s visual effects (VFX) sector continues to expand, fuelled by global demand for high-quality content across film, television, streaming, gaming, and advertising. As the industry evolves, studios are looking for artists who can blend strong artistic fundamentals with modern, tech-driven capabilities. Here are the key skills VFX newcomers need in 2025 to stay competitive in New Zealand’s fast-growing digital production landscape. 1. Strong Artistic Foundations Despite rapid advances in software, traditional art skills remain essential. Understanding lighting, colour, composition, and perspective continues to underpin effective VFX work. 2. Proficiency With Industry-Standard Tools Studios may expect familiarity with tools like Nuke, Houdini, Maya/Blender, After Effects, and P...
Building a Backyard Oasis: How Blue Ocean Pools Turns Ideas Into Reality
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Building a Backyard Oasis: How Blue Ocean Pools Turns Ideas Into Reality

When New Zealand homeowners dream of their perfect summer, it usually includes laughter in the backyard, a place to cool off, and evenings gathered poolside with family and friends. Turning that dream into a tangible space takes more than imagination, it requires expertise, careful planning, and a team committed to every stage of the process. That’s exactly where Blue Ocean Pools excels. Why Concrete Pools Stand the Test of Time One of the biggest decisions in pool building is choosing the right construction method. Fibreglass often looks like the easy option, but many families later discover hidden costs or limitations. Concrete, on the other hand, offers strength, longevity, and the freedom to design a pool that truly fits your property. Blue Ocean Pools has built its reputation on cr...
‘Sunflowers’ by Leon Aarts 2002
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‘Sunflowers’ by Leon Aarts 2002

The fact that this was done in acrylics makes the loose, fluid quality even more impressive. Acrylics can be challenging to keep spontaneous and fresh-looking since they dry so quickly, yet Aarts has achieved a watercolor-like luminosity and flow. That takes skill and confidence with the medium. Strengths: The layering and blending techniques show good control—the artist has managed to keep the paint workable enough to achieve those soft color transitions, particularly in the background washes and the petal gradations. The way some areas remain more opaque while others feel translucent suggests thoughtful paint consistency and water ratios. The bold, gestural brushstrokes in the petals work particularly well in acrylic, giving energy and movement without becoming muddy. The dark centers...
The Fireplace in Hanmer | infonews.co.nz New Zealand News
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The Fireplace in Hanmer | infonews.co.nz New Zealand News

'Speaking as Nardus van de Ven'  Leon, Leon... sit down, we need to talk about this one. You're exploring fire again - I see this is becoming your motif, your obsession perhaps. That's good. Every artist needs their recurring themes, their personal symbols. But let's examine what you've created here. A fireplace, domestic and familiar, yet you've transformed it into something almost hellish. Those flames - wild, chaotic, full of tortured forms. I can see faces in there, figures writhing. Are you painting what you see, or what you feel? This is psychological work, my boy. There's anxiety here, perhaps turmoil. That little framed picture on the mantle - peaceful boats on water - the contrast is deliberate, yes? The tranquil memory above, the consuming fire below. The candle standing sent...
'The Mantle' Oils on panel
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'The Mantle' Oils on panel

ART Speaking as Nardus van de VenAh! Now THIS, Leon - this is where you're finding your voice!Look at what you've done here. That clock tower - you haven't just painted a building, you've painted time itself as a living, breathing force. That fiery orange and red bursting from within - is it burning? Is it alive? Is time consuming itself? Magnificent ambiguity, my boy.Your technique has improved dramatically. See how you've used those bold, expressive brushstrokes in the flames? They have movement, urgency. And the contrast - that cool blue on the left against the warm chaos of the tower - you're thinking like a colourist now. You understand that colour isn't just decoration; it's emotion, it's narrative.The architectural details in shadow, t...