Tickets for the highly anticipated Art and Garden Trail are flying off the shelves, say organisers.

This weekend, the event will highlight 12 stunning gardens and 19 art venues across the Eastern Bay, with opening hours from 10am to 4pm tomorrow and Sunday.

Malcolm Akehurst, a multi-media artist, is excited to welcome visitors to his central Whakatāne home, where they can view his collection of artwork. Along with his vibrant paintings, Akehurst will also be displaying his recent pottery creations.

“I took up pottery a few months ago, just to learn.”

Akehurst has been honing his pottery skills at the Art House, another venue on the Art and Garden Trail, where the society’s annual exhibition will also open this weekend.

Visitors will be especially captivated by Akehurst’s larger-than-life wooden Pinocchio, a creation that gained popularity during the Covid lockdowns.

Each day, Akehurst set himself the challenge of creating a new Pinocchio scene, drawing the attention of passersby who eagerly followed the spectacle.

“We really enjoyed it; all the neighbourhood walked every day to our fence. We didn’t know what he was going to do the next day. This went on for 30 days,” he recalls with laughter.

Originally a builder and boat builder, Akehurst shifted to furniture making after a back injury. For 30-plus years, he ran a workshop on Valley Road, from where his beautifully crafted, intricately carved furniture found its way into homes and businesses across the country.

Akehurst’s wife, Cissie, will also open her weaving room to visitors, showcasing a collection of looms and the pieces she is working on.

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]