The natural world provides some of the most stunning and engaging art but often, because we see it every day, we take it for granted.
Visitors come from all over the world to immerse themselves in New Zealand’s natural environment. Up here in Whakamarama in the Kaimai Range of the Bay of Plenty we live in and next to rural beauty and the juxtaposition of rural and urban. Even a short walk round the corner shows you this.
Whakamarama was originally an area of natural New Zealand forest. Like much of the country, post-colonisation land was “cleared” during forestry and farming development. Over the years many of the larger traditional, commercial agricultural and horticultural properties have been subdivided into lifestyle blocks/small holdings. Some run small numbers of sheep and cattle and others, on the lower more temperate slopes, are intensive horticultural operations. The district is also home to a diverse and talented group of arts practitioners and creatives – often unseen as they work in houses and sheds behind green walls and hedges.
Walking Whakamarama – first I go left:-
An old-fashioned pump shed. You can hear them grinding away as you walk along the road
There are many private roadways and lanes
The school bus stop
Then I go right:-
This pouwhenua acknowledges the pre-colonial occupants of the district and the actions of the colonial forces – Te Werenga – the burnings when villages and crops were destroyed.
To keep you out, not keep them in!
You’ll find these single-lane bridges all around New Zealand. Be really careful before you just drive over them. Often as here, you can’t easily see the vehicles coming around the corner!
Another one-lane bridge. Here the road veers round to the left and there is another road off to the right. A real trap for delivery people.
This Saturday 16th March 2019 it’s the Harvest Festival in the Whakamarama Hall/Community Centre. While it won’t be the biggest event happening in the Western Bay of Plenty-Tauranga region this weekend it will give you an insight into a New Zealand rural-urban community and a magical, historical district almost half-way between Tauranga and Kati Kati. No admission charge, food and produce available to purchase. 
If you have the chance to come up you could walk the Puketoki Reserve. This remnant of ancient bush is cared for by a local community group. There is gravelled parking opposite the reserve entry and public toilets and a picnic area. There are two walks; one is much shorter than the other. It’s all signposted. If you walk along the roads make sure you keep left as there is quite a lot of traffic. You’ll also be sharing the roadside with horses and cyclists. Enjoy walking Whakamarama – I do.
Rosemary Balu. 
Rosemary Balu is the founding and current Managing Editor of ARTbop. Rosemary has arts and law degrees from the University of Auckland. She has been a working lawyer and has participated in a wide variety of community activities where information gathering, submission writing, community advocacy and education have been involved. Interested in all forms of the arts since childhood Rosemary is focused on further developing and expanding multi-media ARTbop as the magazine for all the creative arts in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
Check out some of the other events around Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty
AND YOU’LL ENJOY READING ABOUT SUZANNE STURROCK A WHAKAMARAMA CREATIVE
AND AN EXHIBITION IN WALLACE GALLERY MORRINSVILLE BY INSPIRATIONAL ARTNEXUS
AND CHECK OUT the ARTbop facebook pages where we share an eclectic range of cultural, environmental and socio-political posts from the local and international creative communities.
ARTbop https://www.facebook.com/artbop/
ARTbop alternative https://www.facebook.com/ARTbopalternative/
AND IF YOU ENJOY CREATIVITY, BOUTIQUE SHOPPING, VINTAGE, RECYCLE, HOME DECOR, CAKE & JUST HAVING A LOOK check out https://www.facebook.com/thecornershopnz/
The Rusty Mannequin and Retro & Vintage are two boutique outlets at the Historic Village, Tauranga of the Turning Point Trust. Open once a month and you need cash. Worth checking out.
ARTbop promotes
(or we think you should check this out!)
MOLLY MORPETH CANADAY AWARD, Whakatane
Winners of the 2019 Molly Morpeth Canaday Award – John Brown, Teresa HR Lane, Danae Ripley, Lea-Anne Sheather, Esther Deans, Raewyn Martin, Adrienne Millwood, Kirsten Ferguson, Nicola McCafferty, Toby George King, Sena Park, and Mary Duggan.
Read all about the award results below, and please come along to see the exhibition in person at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi – Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre if you are able. Open 9am-5pm on weekdays, and 10am-2pm on weekends.
Remember – you can also help to select a winner – vote for the People’s Choice Award at the gallery!
With our exhibition partners, Arts Whakatāne and Whakatane Museum and Arts.
#Whakatane #MMCA #PaintingandDrawing #NZArtAward
TAURANGA ART GALLERY
THE CARLTON GALLERY AT THE ARTS JUNCTION, KATI KATI
Exhibitions change regularly in the Carlton Gallery and the Gallery is available to be hired for your show of work. (if you’re interested in exhibiting contact details are below) The Arts Junction is open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and 10am to 2pm Saturdays and Sundays. Located at 36 Main Road, Kati Kati (next to the Western Bay of Plenty Museum) Phone 549 5250 or email jacqui@katchkatikati.org.nz https://www.facebook.com/TheArtsJunction/
CURRENTLY SHOWING AT THE CARLTON GALLERY: Tauranga Porcelain Artists are presenting an Exhibition of their style of Art. There will be displays of Traditional work as well as more Modern Designs.
Contemporary porcelain painting …
CHECK OUT THE WINNERS OF THE TRUSTPOWER PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
From 3698 competition entries, the 20 winning images are now showcased in the third annual Trustpower Photographic Exhibition! Come and see the breathtaking winning images, presented on large-scale display boards in the Bay’s largest outdoor photographic exhibition. It’s on right now on The Strand, in Downtown Tauranga until 14 April 2019
ATRIUM GALLERY AT THE BLACK SHEEP, WHAKAMARAMA
Developed as a community gallery and retail space with lots of hard work and effort by local creatives, the Atrium Gallery is open 11am to 5pm Wednesday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday. https://www.facebook.com/atriumgallerynz
If you have information about an upcoming arts event, exhibition or arts news you can contact ARTbop at info@artbop.co.nz
