Christchurch artist Deanna Gracie brings you Moana Whenua - an exhibition of jewellery and paintings, which express her deep love of Aotearoa - this wonderful land we live in. She has done this by the creating, and now the sharing of her artistry.

You are invited to the opening, to be held Tuesday 9th March at Cloisters Gallery, North Quadrangle, The Arts centre of Christchurch from 5:30pm-8:30pm. The artist welcomes one and all to share in a joyful evening of beautiful visual art and jewellery.

For this solo exhibition Deanna has created precious objects by combining gorgeous gemstones, sleek silver, glistening gold, richly coloured indigo blue titanium and subtly patinated copper, finished with soft textures and tactile surfaces. Exhibited alongside these will be beautifully detailed paintings that reflect elements of her jewellery designs, all of which are alive with the colour and movement of nature.

Deanna creates her precious objects in a small studio-workshop in her garden, quite near to the sea at Southshore Christchurch. These objects quite often take on the form of a natural organic shape, with lots of texture and colour. “Jewellery making for me is quite a serendipitous process – sometimes I never know how the piece is going to work out until it’s finished. I need to hold the materials in my hand as part of the creative process” says Deanna.

Moana Whenua – which is Maori for Ocean Land, is also the exhibition theme. “I like to live near the water so that I can embrace both the land and the sea,” she says. Koru designs, feathers and fern shapes are recurring themes in her work, which range from lovely rings, pendants, bracelets, brooches and earrings to the exquisitely detailed paintings.

“I find joy in the most simple of things; the perfect shape of a ginkgo leaf, the ebb and flow of the tide, patterns left on sand by wind and rain, the gentle call of a gull as it soars in the air. These experiences fill my soul to overflowing and I race to my studio to start the next piece.”

Deanna will be available at Cloisters Gallery every day from 10am to 5pm to discuss her work with visitors to the exhibition

Opening:     Friday 9th March 5:30pm - 8:30pm   
When:     7th March – 15th March, Open daily 10.00am – 5.00pm
Venue:     Cloisters gallery, North Quad, The Arts Centre of Christchurch

”Made from my heart and by my hand no two pieces of jewellery can ever be exactly the same.” Deanna Gracie