We hope everyone has had a fantastic Summer and found a moment to enjoy the exhibitions on display at the Aigantighe Art Gallery.

We really enjoyed celebrating with our artists and guests at the Friends sponsored exhibition openings for Gallery 91 in December and Blue/Gold by local artist Claire Earlie Maxwell in January.

We are really excited to announce that through everyone’s generous donations, and our committees fundraising efforts that we have reached our target for the restoration of the iconic Don Binney and will be sent away mid-year for conservation. We have now raised over $17,000 to restore 27 artworks. There are still artworks that require restoration and we look forward to fundraising for these. Thank you for your generosity.

And finally a big high five to everyone as we celebrate the first birthday for Timaru Rocks. With over 3000 members, we continue to see visitors enjoy the rock hunting in the Sculpture Garden. We have some exciting plans for 2018, and can’t wait to share them with you throughout the year.

Roselyn Fauth - Friends President

Wow what a year! The Friends were proud to sponsor the exhibition openings for Pat White in April, Holly Zandbergen in June, and Judith Cordeaux in September, all of which drew near capacity crowds.
Our Sculpture Hunt maps continue to showcase our public art and provide a free activity for locals and tourists. Colour the Night was an epic event and the Friends were happy to help market the event, host and run the galleries fundraising stall.
#TimaruRocks continues to help draw new visitors to the Gallery and gardens. Our community Rock Boxes have been used by over 1300 folks. We have also given out hundreds of prize rocks and activity sheets to make art supplies more accessible.
We now use Xero to manage our finances and memberships, thanks to the support from Volunteering Mid and South Canterbury.
Through our special projects and our Art Restoration Programme, we aim to inspire creativity, bring our community closer together and reinforce the Aigantighe’s reputation.

Thanks again to our committee and members for their support.
Roselyn Fauth - Friends President

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Friends Update May 2016
Greetings from your President
The Nigel Brown exhibition was outstanding and has now gone on tour to other New Zealand galleries.
Debbie Templeton-Page and Cindy King were very successful with the sale of several items from the February Exhibition. It was great to see how technical difficulties with large objects can be overcome.
The Exhibitions by Clive Humphreys and Rachel Ratten are amazing. Clive Humphreys gave a wonderful artist talk on Saturday 7 May. The talk gave us a good insight into his artistic practice. I hope everyone who attended enjoyed the talk. Our next talk will be Saturday the 21 May at 1pm. All are welcome to join.
Once again our technician Brent Harris has excelled himself with clever lighting, commented on by many out of town visitors to the gallery.
There are still more works in the permanent collection which need restoration. There is now a Ruby and Diamond category for donations. If you would like to contribute, please see one of our curatorial staff members.
The Friends have raised more than ten thousand dollars towards the conservation of works in the Gallery during the last twelve months.
We look forward to seeing you at our next opening on 1 July.
This will be an international touring exhibition of contemporary Japanese ceramics. The exhibition is co-hosted with the Japan Foundation, Embassy of Japan and Consulate of Japan.

- Neil McKinnon
For information on the Friends, visit:
facebook.com/FriendsofAigantigheArtGallery

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Greetings from your President

The ANZAC and Gallipoli Exhibitions were very popular and we were very fortunate to have Linda Bullard show her striking paintings inspired by the Bible found in a First World War trench. The embroidered ANZAC quilt attracted a lot of interest. It was wonderful to hear Marian Maguire talk about her exhibition, ‘Titokowaru’s Dilemma,’ on Saturday 2 May. Her construction and research over a ten-year period has resulted in an amazing series of lithographic prints. The RSM Law Plunket Art Show was extremely successful this year and continued to attract viewers and buyers right up to the last minute. John Badcock’s powerful ‘Stations of the Cross', which was on show between June and August depicting a journey of tradition and reflection.

Last year we raised more than $6,000 to pay for restoration work and we’re currently raising funds to conserve more works in the permanent collection. The Brook, which the Friends helped restore, has returned from the conservator. The difference before and after conservation is truly remarkable with this piece. If you would like to help contribute to the restoration of art work please see one of our curatorial staff members.

- Neil McKinnon
For information on the Friends, visit:
facebook.com/FriendsofAigantigheArtGallery

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In the Chinese year of the Seep, may you see happiness every where. Howe exciting it was to be able to host Desmond Bovey's collection of African art in the summer exhibition Minkisi. We hop you all took the opportunity to see it. On a sad note, we were sorry to lose one of our new members Shireen Horwell. Our sympathies are with Allan and his family.
The first Friends opening this year features the work of Marian Maguire in the exhibition Tikokowaru's Dilemma along with Diana Peneamene's paintings in her solo entrance show titled Earthen Vessels.
Check out the Friends' Facebook page and website for more information. The Aigantighe Art Gallery also now has a Facebook page and it is well worth a look,
A reminder that the Friends of Aigantighe is a fundraising organisation for the restoration and preservation of artworks, as well as acting as promoters of the Gallery to the wider community,
Last year we raised more than $6,000 to pay for the restoration work and we are currently raising funds for the reframing of works in the gallery's permanent collection. Thank you to all the sponsors and raffle sellers who make this possible.
The Friends are also responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Arty the Art Car, the concept of which has been eagerly taken on board by galleries in North America. Thank you to Alan and Jeni at Tignafeile for housing this unique vehicle.
Our membership now stands at around 200 and we look forward to entertaining and delighting you in 2015.
- Neil McKinnon

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Winter Greetings from your President

Oscar Keys was delighted at the tum out for the opening of his photography exhibition: seven buildings and the sea. It was very well received and many prints of his photographs were ordered. The RSM Plunket Art Show also had a great run with more than half of the artworks sold, and the following exhibition of photographs from the Timaru Herald's 150 years in print has proven very popular. inspection is invited for William Greene's painting of 1he donkeys on Caroline Bay, titled The Unemployed. It has come back from the restorer and looks wonderful on the wall in 1he South Canterbury Room.
Currently we are looking for joint sponsors for The Brook by Vincent Waagrez, which 18 hanging In the corridor of the House Gallery. This painting has a hole In 1he canvas In 1he top left corner and the canvas Is sagging visibly. The paint Is cracked, discoloured, and has fly spots. Coloured Images of the work are available, along with a plan of the procedures that will restore It to Its original glory. We look forward to your response.
Congratulations to our raffle winners- they automatically receive a Friends Membership for two. Shireen, All and Christine were the winner of the $50 vouchers and Marian and Nancy each won a hundred dollar note. A warm welcome to our newest member Susanna Izard, a previous exhibitor at the gallery. I look forward to seeing you at the next Friends opening on Friday 11 June, for the Here & Now exhibition of recent work by local artists.

Restoration update

As well as curating exhibitions, the gallery staff manage an incredible art collection. Some of the artworks have arrived in less than ideal state. We have been raising funds to restore these artworks to exhibition standard. Would you like to make a donation towards this or another artwork’s restoration? (Donations received are Tax Deductable as we are a registered charitable entity: Number Cc42952.) You can donate via internet banking: Friends of Aigantighe Art Gallery SBS Bank: 031-355-0733-195-00 (Please include your name and ‘restore’ as the reference). Or send a cheque:PO Box 780, Timaru, 7940. GOLD $500, SILVER $250, BRONZE $100

Kind regards
Neil McKinnon
President of the Friends of Aigantighe Art Gallery Inc

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In the Chinese year of the Horse, may you see happiness everywhere. How exciting it is to see the newly restored paintings on display in the Gallery. Thank you to all the sponsors who have made this possible and to the Raffle sellers. Our membership now stands at around 200 and we look forward to entertaining and delighting you in 2014. On a side note... Lady Fiona Elworthy (one of our Life members), is hosting an exhibition on 22 March. For information on this, and other Friends activities, visit: facebook.com/FriendsofAigantigheArtGallery.

Restoration update

As well as curating exhibitions, the gallery staff manage an incredible art collection. Some of the artworks have arrived in less than ideal state. We have been raising funds to restore these artworks to exhibition standard. Thanks to your support, we have raised $5183.15 to restore 14 artworks to date. The below artwork needs the professional conservator’s attention... can you help?

William Greene.The Unemployed. (Caroline Bay Donkeys). 1912. Oil on canvas. Estimated restoration cost $1500

ABOUT THE ARTIST...  William Greene established a studio in Bank Street, Timaru in 1894. He taught art at Timaru High School and was a founding member of the South Canterbury Art Society. He left a number of paintings to help form the core of a public collection.

WHY THIS NEEDS RESTORATION...  There are four small holes in the centre of the painting. Early stages of canvas decay are near the small holes. There is crazing and cracking on the surface of the painting, and two areas of small paint loss. The surface is discoloured due to the build-up of dust and grime over the years.

Would you like to make a donation towards this or another artwork’s restoration? (Donations received are Tax Deductable as we are a registered charitable entity: Number Cc42952.) GOLD $500, SILVER $250, BRONZE $100. via internet banking: Friends of Aigantighe Art Gallery SBS Bank: 031-355-0733-195-00 (Please include your name and ‘restore’ as the reference). Or send a cheque:PO Box 780, Timaru, 7940.

Kind regards
Neil McKinnon
President of the Friends of Aigantighe Art Gallery Inc