In New Artland, TVNZ 7’s ambitious series, thirteen leading artists have been handpicked to create incredible new works of art with the help of Kiwi communities.

In New Artland, TVNZ 7’s ambitious series, thirteen leading artists have been handpicked to create incredible new works of art with the help of Kiwi communities.

Presenter Chris Knox, best known as a musician and cartoonist, follows the artists from the initial idea through to the final unveiling. It is widely known that Knox suffered a stroke recently. However, towards the end of production he spoke of often getting his jandals mucky as he pitched in on the series.

"It's quite surreal to the point of bewildering," said Knox. "Each and every episode was an unexpected blast."

Among the smorgasbord of talent profiled in season two are Dick Frizzell, Grahame Sydney, Virginia King, Niki Hastings-McFall, Karl Maughan, Wayne Youle, Reuben Paterson, Jacquelyn Greenbank, Seung Yul Oh, Tracey Tawhiao, Regan Gentry, Alex Monteith and Steve Carr.

"I've been privileged to share a small part of the lives of all of these artists. It's been absolutely fascinating meeting the wild and wonderful people they've chosen to help them with their projects," said Knox.

To kick start the season, playful and controversial artist, Wayne Youle, is profiled. He combines his Maori and Pakeha heritage in his humorous objects and text-based works. Not one to shy away from a challenge, he's enlisted two tattoo artists to ink 100 people in a single day. But can he find 100 people willing to be permanent walking artworks?

Filmed from West Auckland to Central Otago, the artworks across the series involve farmers, flying squads, orchestras, graffiti artists, school kids, tattooists, knitters, BMX riders, snowballs and Westies.

"This job gets me to places I never expected to go in a million years, both geographical and emotional. I'd find myself swiftly transported from a hall in Upper Hutt with some remote control helicopter enthusiasts to a tiny graveyard in the middle of the remote Nevis Valley," said Knox.

New Artland's unique concept was recognised as a finalist for Best Format in the 2008 Qantas NZ Television Awards.

"We take the concept of a 'format' and blow it apart," says producer and FAT Productions' head Neil Stichbury.

His fellow producer Gemma Gracewood adds, "New Artland gives us the license to closely follow the artists' process. We get to see how they imagine, how they create, how they fail and ultimately succeed. It's truly fascinating."

Inspired by Knox's recent stroke, TVNZ 7 and FAT Productions are joining forces for a combined New Artland launch and art auction. Proceeds raised from the auction of artworks will be donated to The Stroke Foundation to provide art therapy and other stroke rehabilitation work to stroke patients throughout the country.