Art & Craft

Discover the Ashburton District’s unique rural arts and crafts, art galleries, craft fairs and art festivals.

The Ashburton District has a rich and diverse range of art & culture. From the Ashburton Art Gallery, which attracts a variety of local, national and international touring exhibitions, to dozens of private art and craft galleries including the Ashford Art & Craft Village, and vibrant operatic society productions, the district is a region that delights in expressing creativity.

Ashburton has one marae at Hakatere, on the edge of Ashburton, and Te Whare O TaWhaki in the grounds of Ashburton College. A mutli million dollar performing arts centre in Ashburton.

At different times of the year the district becomes a haven for art and craft enthusiasts nationwide, with a number of different festivals including the biannual Minerals to Art Festival at Mt Somers, the annual Methven Summer School and the Methven Craft Fair, and the Rakaia Craft Markets held on the second Sunday of each month from September to March.

The local Ashburton Society of Arts run an annual exhibition and a series of workshops during the year with nationally recognised tutors.

The Ashburton District is also home to a host of well-known artists including Robin Arnst, Dennis Brown, Margaret Digby, Adrienne Gudsell, D.J. Lambert, Ngaio McKee, Alison Ramsay, Karen Smith, Sally Withell.

FEATURED PRODUCTS

Ashford Art & Craft Gallery
The home of the spinning wheel and a cluster of shops on State Highway One in Ashburton including Eastside Gallery (a co-operative of crafts people from the district producing quality, handmade pottery, paintings, stained glass, jewellery, china painting) Amelia’s (an enchanting shop offering a selection of collectables, antiques, country furniture, Victorian glass, old china) and FIYD (an exciting shop with unique ceramics, artwork, decoupage, mosaics, sculpture and handmade jewellery).

Ashburton Society of Arts
The Ashburton Society of Arts has a very strong membership per head of population and holds regular workshops during the year with nationally recognised tutors. Their annual art exhibition (held at the Ashburton Art Gallery) featuring art works from local and guest artists is a must see.

Ngaio McKee Artist
Ngaio has been painting New Zealand scenery, still life, and heritage buildings for nearly three decades. Inspired by the beautiful Mid Canterbury plains, foothill and mountain high country scenery she has amassed a large portfolio of works that have been widely exhibited. Though landscape is Ngaio’s first love, she also enjoys painting buildings, flowers and still life subjects. Ngaio is best known for traditional style watercolours, but occasionally uses oils, acrylic, pastel, or mixed media, and sometimes venture into a contemporary mode.
 

Click here for all Art & Culture product listings within our website