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Presidents Report 2nd Sept 2009-2010 AGM Welcome to our AGM and thank you for your support. The Friends have had a productive year supporting the gallery and encouraging interest in the visual arts.
One of our top priorities this year has been to produce a new membership brochure. This is more informative than its predecessor with the aim of encouraging people to support the gallery by joining the Friends’ membership. The brochure was designed by Roselyn and includes photography by Geoff. The printing was generously discounted by GEON Print in Timaru. Brochures reside at the gallery and at various cafes and business’ in South Canterbury. They were also emailed to the Chamber of Commerce members. Our website continues to profile our organisation and inform our members and the public. It features a news page, information about the Friends, how to join our membership, competitions that we are running, exhibition information, opening night photos, a list of artwork that we have purchased for the collection, our restoration programme and even a weather house.
The Polychrome art exhibition in November 2009, featured artworks by students at the Timaru Aoraki Polytechnic. Amongst the recipients of awards was Cheryl Gordon who received the Friends of Aigantighe Award – a $100 Whitcoulls voucher and a double Friends membership. In 2010 Jess Ayto from TGHS won the Friends Excellence Award in Artarama which included a $50 Whitcoulls voucher and a single Friends membership. We have had many successful raffles over the last year. Most of the tickets have been sold at opening nights, through Facebook and our committee’s networks. The funds received went towards our art car, the grand piano’s maintenance and artwork restoration. All prize donations are greatly appreciated and I wish to thank Cameron’s Clothing Stores for gifting a $100 voucher and Ballantyne’s for providing a $200 Gift Basket. Prizes donated for the raffle “A week off for the cook” included $640 worth of vouchers donated by The Chandler Clinic, Zanzibar Seafood Restaurant, Tussock Restaurant, ZEST. Pizza. Restaurant. Bar, TGB (The Grosvenor Bar) and Ginger & Garlic Restaurant. Arty our art car is still going strong with many visits to the gallery, and events and continues to be a favourite for kids. This year Arty was again called upon to chauffeur a couple to their school ball. We loved dropping off Emily Watson and her guest Sebastian Elsen to the Craighead ball in Timaru. Belles and their equally dashing partners arrived all kinds of transport including vintage cars, buses, limousines and of course Arty.
GLAMOROUS POSE: Emily Watson and Sebastian Elsen smiling for Over the years the Friends’ have provided funds for the purchase of artworks which form a valued part of the Aigantighe’s permanent collection. As part of our on-going contribution our focus has moved to the restoration of artworks that are currently not at exhibition standard. AJ RAE: Caroline Bay - before conservation Congratulations to the gallery staff on another inspiring year. We realise that a lot goes on behind the scenes to maintain the gallery’s international standard. On behalf of the friends’. I would like to thank Fiona, Anita and Frances for all their hard work and wish them all the best for 2011. Our committee has enjoyed a very productive year. Diane has been a rock keeping the finances in order. Angela has been a methodical and detailed secretary and has organised a high standard of refreshments for guests to enjoy at openings. Geoff has continued to photograph events and manage the membership. Helen’s babysitting of Arty, Gary’s fundraising touch and Liz and Juliet’s input at meetings has been invaluable. Thank you for your enthusiasm and hard work. It is very exciting to think that this time next year we will be celebrating our 35th anniversary as an incorporated society. Until then let’s continue to keep our membership and community inspired! Roselyn Cloake - President 2006-2010
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Presidents Report 2009 AGM President’s Report 3rd September 2009 AGM Arty our art car has been a great asset to the gallery this year. This is now the 5th year that Arty has been in action. He has had a touch up of paint and looks smart and interesting. As well as gallery staff taking arty to schools and parking him in front of the gallery, he has also been escorting students to the TGHS and Craighead balls. Arty came to stay at my home in March and although he was a bright attraction to the kids of Jackson St he was out in the cold winter weather. Recently Helen Bonica joined the committee and now has Arty tucked away in her garage. We have been very fortunate to have the continued support from two very skilled and hard working committee members; Angela our secretary and Dianne our treasurer. You are both so reliable and it has made my role so much easier! It’s been a breeze this year knowing that we are in good hands. We are truly are grateful for what you do.
Geoff Cloake has continued to take photographs at the gallery openings that the Friends support. The photos are displayed on our website to show off our opening nights and encourage new members. The photography is also displayed on our white ware installation – the Friends Fridge. This quirky project has received great feedback and is an original way to display membership brochures and entice the public to join our valuable organisation. The fridge recently had a make-over, you may like to look to see what crazy things lurk behind the fridge door!
Exhibition opening for Rua Pic and David Woodings. Geoff’s photography has also been used in various publications to promote the gallery. We are really lucky and grateful to have the openings captured by his lens. The Friends’ website continues to grow. The on-line resource has helped members and the public stay informed with the Friends projects and coming exhibitions. We now have a great gallery section to present exhibition photos. The website has also been useful to promote to students and has helped us promote Arty to school ball goers. To see this live in action visit our website: http://friends.aigantighe.org.nz
Above Roselyn Cloake presents the Friends’ Artarama! Excellence Award to Hannah Hamilton from Craighead Diocesan School. Artarama! is the festival of South Canterbury student art. The gallery walls transform into a wonderland of visual masterpieces by students aged 5 to 18 with around $2,000 worth of prizes up for grabs. This year the Friends sponsored a $50 prize and a free Friends membership. The winner was Hannah Hamilton - Craighead Diocesan. The exhibitions over the last year have greeted many of the locals and those who have travelled from afar. We have been very privileged to have seen stunning thought provoking shows. The Friends have worked towards echoing the international standard set by the gallery by:
We acknowledge the support and generosity from local companies who financially “came to the party”. These openings have been pulled off by a dedicated team. Thank you to the Friends committee and their helpers who work to put on a great evenings for our guests We have been recently working on a new pull up banner. Which I would like to unveil for you now. At one point it seemed impossible to come up with a smart statement that would encapsulate the meaning of the friends and the benefits we create. After a meeting I got a phone call from Angela and she said “Be inspired”. And she hit the nail on the head. As friends we aim to: motivate; stimulate; provoke; influence; and encourage. Ultimately this is inspiring and can be achieved on a visit to the Aigantighe. You know by being supporters of the gallery that there is more to be found here than paintings on the wall or sculptures in the garden. There is an x-factor here, a buzz when you walk through these rooms. There is a heart in this home. And it is the hard working gallery staff and network of supporters and volunteers that make the Aigantighe a destination. Here you can find children in costume on art hunts, students encouraged, celebrations and dancing at openings and discussion and emotions evoked. The art here is not just hanging on the walls of a gallery. The art here is for arts sake. To the Aigantighe Gallery staff; Fiona, Fran, Anita, Chris, Bruce, Zaiee and Cheryl your work is a great benefit to visitors and supporters. Thank you. To the Friends team; tonight we can celebrate a successful 2008/2009. I’m really proud of our committee and what we have achieved. We have a reputation for being a vibrant hands on group who offer support and practical help. I look forward to more openings and projects in the coming year Best wishes, Roselyn Cloake - President 2006-2010
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Friends of the Aigantighe Art Gallery,
PO Box 780, Timaru, New Zealand |
The Friends gained registered charity status (CC42952) in 2009. Our new status allows us to apply for funding and offer tax deductions on all donations received. This has definitely been worthwhile as we have already received generous donations including a $1000 donation in December 2009. 
