Celebrating 35 years

The Friends of the Aigantighe Art Gallery Incorporated were founded in 1976 and celebrated their 35th anniversary in 2011

Speeches at the 35th anniversary and exhibition opening held 1st July 2011

The voluntary organisation is dedicated to encouraging interest in the visual arts and maintaining the excellence of this public gallery. Ultimately helping to grow the love of arts in the community and inspire.

Over the last 30 years...

• The Friends have purchased 17 artworks for the gallery
• Funded the restoration of 10 delicate artworks on paper
• Sponsored special exhibition openings each year
• Created the worlds first art museum - art car "Arty"
• Helped 100s of its members to support the gallery and stay informed
• Recieved donations as a registered charity
• Purchased the PA system for speeches and openings
• Provided entertainment via the Friends' grand piano
• Helped to inspire youth and students by sponsoring art prizes
• Sponsored $1000s of dollars worth of invitations and newsletters printing

Honorary Life Members...

• Dr Bill Glass
• Mrs Shirley Campbell
• Mr & Mrs R L Dohig
• Lady Fiona Elworthy
• Mrs B Manning &  Mr S Newman
• Mr & Mrs D N & R B Wreford

“The Friends life members have enriched the gallery significantly”
– Dr Fiona Ciaran Director of the Aigantighe Art Gallery.

Help us celebrate at the next opening.

Arrange your invation

To recieve an inviation to the next opening and our 35th Anniversary Celebration, we would like to invite you to join our membership. Support the Gallery, be inspired, extend your knowledge of art and meet others with a common interest by becoming a Friend of Aigantighe Art Gallery. Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or join our membership on line or at the Gallery.

• Support the Gallery
• Be inspired
• Extend your knowledge of art
• Meet others with a common interest
• Help grow the love of arts in the community

View the Friends of the Aigantighe Brochure

Artists that will be exhibiting at our 35th celebration

ABOVE: Bronwyn Shimmin. Braiding in Blues. 2010. Acrylic on canvas

Bronwyn Shimmin. Braided

28 June - 14 August 2011

Bronwyn Shimmin was born in South Africa and settled in Temuka in 2006 which she describes as “coming full circle” because her great, great grandfather Fredrick Gascoyne was one of the founders of the Waimate Town Council. Her paintings are held in private collections in New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and the USA. Bronwyn Shimmin describes Braided as “the outworking of my fascination with our river systems; their complexity, beauty and fragility.  It is also the exploration of the direct relationship between ourselves and these rivers; how our lives are interwoven; defining each other through the way we live."

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ABOVE: Claire Earlie Maxwell. Orari. 2010. Laser inkjet on canvas

Claire Earlie Maxwell. Eau Revoir.

2 July - 10 August 2011

Claire Earlie Maxwell was born in County Limerick, Ireland and trained at the Limerick School of Art and the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art. She moved to New Zealand in 1981 and studied at the Wellington College of Education gaining a Diploma of Teaching majoring in art. At Victoria University Claire completed a BA in Art History and settled in South Canterbury in 1998. Also exploring the theme of rivers Eau Revoir presents an astonishing suite of large-scale works in the style of Fin de siècle posters. Each encapsulates the Goddess of a South Island East Coast river through which Claire explores her love of the landscape and the concept of Maeve the Warrior Queen. The face of Orari is that of Claire herself.