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 The most successful ever Mercury Bay Art Escape Open Studio Tour and ‘Taste of the Tour’ Showcase exhibition have come to a close, recording a record number of studio visits, sales and an increase in visitors from outside the Coromandel region. “Not only does this expose our members’ work to a new audience, but we see worthwhile benefits from our partners’ in hospitality, accommodation, tourism and transport businesses in the area assisting visitors’ experience” said Trust Chairman Stuart Christie.  “While we don’t release actual figures on sales, including forward commissions, they are probably 50% higher than last year”.

 46 local member artists from Tairua to Kuaotunu opened their studios for the first two weekends in March and attracted studio visits 30% up from 2014 over the four days with 2800 recorded in one day alone.

 During the month long exhibition held at Hot Waves Café, Hot Water Beach, the public were invited to vote for their favourite art work of the 55 works on exhibit from members. When counted, we had a first equal result for the first time.

 The winners, both from Hahei were Christine Bannan with her charcoal drawing ‘Charadrius obscurus Northern NZ Dotterel’ and new member Martinus Sarangapany with his interactive work ‘Kaleidoscopic Reliquary’, featuring a clay sculpture housing a kaleidescope and a bound book of drawings ‘The Gateway To Infinity’.

 The winners each receive a prize sponsored by Gordon Harris ‘The Art & Graphic Store’.

 Christine says of her work "My inspiration for this charcoal drawing came from observing dotterel parents and their chicks on the beach at Hahei and have been a joy to me all summer. The drawing was built up with many layers of black charcoal to give tonal values interspersed with layers of white charcoal to accentuate the light.”

Martinus explains his intriguing interactive work “My work comes from the subconscious. Kaleidoscopic Reliquary speaks about  the collaboration between the collector of dreams, The giver of dreams and the viewer, all three work together and all three create something. The kaleidoscope represents this partnership. The Gateway to Infinity is a collection of 101 dreams of children aged 2-9, interpreted through pencil and graphite.”

Second place went to new member Anna Kitchingman of Cooks Beach/Christchurch for ‘Te Hoho’, in her unique style using acrylics on canvas.

Third place went to another new member Becs Wood of Hahei with her pen and pencil drawing ’Sandy’s Swing’ framed in a rcycled rimu window frame.

At the opening launch member artists voted for the ‘Artist Choice Award’. This award, that holds much kudos being judged by fellow artist and was won by Tairua artist Paula McNeill for her mixed media work ‘Stepping through Time’. Sponsored by Little Gallery of Fine Arts, Tairua, the award was presented by none other than Paula’s daughter, Gallery Manager Sarah Holden.

 Plans for the 2016 Open Studio Tour are already in place, with the launch at Hot Waves Café on Friday March 4^th and the Tour weekends are March 5^th + 6^th and 12^th + 13^th. New member applications will be called for in July so watch the website www.mercurybayartescape.com