Save your Christmas shopping for the opening of a vibrant new art and crafts show this weekend, where an array of original work from local creatives will be on display.

Pam Mossman, who manages the pottery room at the Art House on McAlister Street, says this year’s Whakatāne Society of Arts and Crafts exhibition is set to be a biggie.

The Arts Collective Exhibition opens tomorrow and runs daily until January 11, from 10am to 4pm, closing only on Christmas Day.

Weekend art demonstrations will add extra buzz throughout the exhibition: Opening weekend features spinning demonstrations tomorrow, followed by a live painting session with well-known artist Robyn Watchorn on Sunday. Next weekend, respected painter Mark Anstis and flax weaver Karen Storey will take their turn showcasing their craft.

Visitors can expect a huge variety of work, including pottery, painting, weaving, woodturning, textiles, fibre arts and more.

Among the many exhibitors, nature-inspired artist and photographer Mandy Hague is excited to be showing four paintings and seven pottery sculptures – the latter a relatively new direction she has embraced wholeheartedly.

Known for her striking wildlife photography, Hague only recently began working with clay in the Art House’s Pottery Shed, but Mossman said she had made a remarkable impression.

“Her work – seals, whales, all sorts of creatures – it’s amazing,” Mossman said.

Hague’s pottery pieces include humpback whales, seals, an octopus and other ocean-inspired forms.

“A lot of my inspiration comes from the ocean,” Hague said.

Clay work first entered her life as a teenager. “I was really crap at it, to be honest,” she laughs.

Though she continued making 3D work, painting remained her focus.

That began to change during a 2020 artist residency at Driving Creek in Coromandel, where she was taught to throw pots in the late Barry Brickell’s historic pottery studio.

“I absolutely loved working on the wheel and would stay up until two or three in the morning playing with clay.”

A few months ago, in a spontaneous visit to Bethlehem Pottery Club in Tauranga, she purchased a 12-kilogram bag of clay.

“I started sculpting and really fell in love with the process.”

Her pieces don’t always follow her plans.

“Sometimes ... the clay has other ideas and keeps suggesting a different creature, so if it starts telling me it’s a whale rather than the bird I was planning, I have to go with it.”

While she’s relishing the exploration, Hague said she was still learning.

“The building part is fairly straightforward, but glazing and firing are a science, and I have so much to learn.

“I’ve been lucky to have the help of some of the more experienced potters at the Art Society. Pam Mossman has so much knowledge and has patiently answered all my dumb questions.”

Mossman said society members were looking forward to this year’s exhibition, which offers a chance to showcase the breadth of talent within the region, and to help shoppers find one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts.

“There are small, affordable pieces and larger works. Some paintings are unframed so people can buy something more affordable and frame it themselves.”

Visitors are also encouraged to enter the exhibition raffle, which includes gourmet treats and art pieces donated by members.