TALENT TAUGHT IN THE 40’S AND 50’S REUNITE
by Martine Rolls
What we now know as Tauranga Boys’ and Tauranga Girls’ College was once combined. Over 400 students from the Co-Ed school, as it was between 1946-1957, are coming together this month for a special reunion and an exhibition of high calibre.
In these twelve years of Co-Ed, the school has produced many successful creative people who have exhibited all over the world. Many of these celebrated artists will be showing their work at the upcoming Co-Ed Exhibition at Creative Tauranga.
“They were all taught art by the late Claudia Jarman”, explains Marlene Ware from the reunion committee.
Described as ‘a little fox terrier with a huge spirit’ Claudia Jarman was an art educator with great passion, inspiring two generations of teenagers in the Bay of Plenty to practice and appreciate art.
“Over 80 works have been submitted, from paintings in oil and acrylics, award winning wood turning, pottery, patchwork, embroidery, bronze impressionist sculptures and so much more”, says Marlene.
“Pieces to look out for are the stunning Thai silk haute couture dress made by Joan Brown, once winner of the Benson and Hedges Gown of the Year and a quilted wall hanging by Barbara Hilford, as well as two works by Jean Brandt from the May 2011 award exhibition in Italy.”
The exhibition opens at Creative Tauranga on Wednesday 14 of September. Opening night is by invitation only for Friends of the Gallery, artists and their family and friends. The works can be seen by the public at the Creative Tauranga gallery on Wharf St for the following two weeks.