Get ready for a weekend of creativity and inspiration at the much-anticipated upcoming Arts Whakatāne Art and Garden Trail.

Tickets are on sale now for the event, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, November 23 and 24, from 10 am to 4 pm.

Over two days, visitors will have the opportunity to explore 27 stunning locations between Manawahe and Hawai, featuring 19 talented artists and 12 beautiful gardens.

This year’s event promises to be a feast for the senses, showcasing a vibrant array of Eastern Bay talent and an opportunity to engage with the artists behind the works.

Among the many participants is new and emerging artist Elly Sharp, whose scenic studio at Ōhiwa Harbour provides the perfect backdrop for her work.

Surrounded by water, it has unsurprisingly provided her main inspiration.

Sharp describes her work as a mix of abstract and realism: “I enjoy doing both; abstract is probably my passion, but I do like the challenge of making things look realistic, too.”

Sharp’s latest series of paintings was inspired by the raw energy of a recent storm.

Taking up art full-time almost two years ago, Sharp has quickly found her stride. After 20 years in the corporate world, she left her job in 2022 and embraced her creative side, joining the family business in Ōpōtiki while pursuing her newfound passion for painting.

“Art has been incredibly healing for me. I was burnt out from the corporate world, but when I paint, I completely lose track of time. It’s something I’ve never experienced before, and it tells me this is what I should be doing.”

Initially self-taught, Sharp has since taken workshops, including one with artist Wayne Vickers, which introduced her to oil painting – a medium she’s fully embraced.

At the Art and Garden Trail, she will showcase completed works and works in progress, many of which are for sale. She’ll also have some smaller experimental pieces on paper, which make beautiful, framed artworks.

Another artist to visit is David Poole, a mixed media artist based in Ōhope, also with a studio overlooking Ōhiwa Harbour. Poole’s works often incorporate natural materials he forages from his environment, including shells, driftwood, and plant life. “Nothing’s safe around me,” he jokes about his habit of nabbing scarves, earrings and other items from friends for his art.

Poole’s studio will also feature an interactive experience with fellow artist Bob Stirk, who will demonstrate the ancient art of pyrography – decorating wood or other materials using freehand burn marks.

Visitors will have the chance to paint their own pieces at Poole’s studio, with pre-drawn outlines ready to be filled in.

Poole’s art is deeply influenced by his studies of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti and traditional Zulu healers (sangomas). “I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of the trinity – three figures or objects coming together to represent ancient beliefs and primal mythologies,”

His work often evokes themes of life's fragility and the intersection of the sacred and the human.

Poole studied fine art at the Hampton School of Art before relocating to New Zealand in 2001, where he has since devoted himself to his practice full-time. His work frequently reflects his ongoing exploration of the human condition, both on an individual and cultural level.

The Art and Garden Trail is also a fundraiser for Arts Whakatāne.

Tania Akehurst, Arts Whakatāne Art and Garden Trail coordinator and committee member, said the event would provide an avenue for local artists to display their work and for the public to be able to easily participate in viewing art and to speak directly with artists.

“This year we have included many beautiful gardens in the trail as it seems like a natural progression to include gardens as well as art.”

What: Arts Whakatāne Art and Garden Trail

When: 10am-4pm, November 23-24

Tickets: $12 from 4art Sake in Ohope, i-site Whakatane, email [email protected]