Man Cave

This is my mate Duncan Leask's workshop at the back of Refinery Art Space on Halifax Street. Refinery used to have a small gallery space in the front and quite big workshop spaces available for hire if you used recycled material; now it has huge gallery spaces, a bit of workshop spaces at the back, art workshops and even a garden is planned. Refinery being its name, I'm pretty confident it used to be a refinery of some sort, but I'm yet to find that one out.

Can you almost smell the oily man smell? I must admit, it was rather clean, tidy and well-organized, almost disappointingly so. Duncan said I could sit in his workshop and spend the day with a pen and a sketchbook picking up interesting shapes and forms and textures from his space; I'm looking forward to it, maybe in spring.

No More Refinery Art Space

The original Refinery ArtSpace gallery was a cavernous venue on Halifax Street, a real former refinery. It was my favourite space in Nelson, and I participated in a few exhibition as a weaver and drawing student. Due to earthquake safety risks, it moved temporarily to Hardy Street for perhaps a decade; recently this Hardy Street gallery closed, too. 

The gallery and Nelson Bays Arts Council moved to a shinier building. I haven't looked up what's going to happen to the old venue. 

Refinery Art Space

Remember this? Refinery Art Space had a face lift a while back, but I'm happy because it shows off the metal work by Duncan Leask more effectively. Right now they are holding the superb Centre for Fine Woodworking annual show until January 24th.

After today, or whenever they get around to hanging them, it will become the third place in the universe where you can buy scarves by Yours Truly.

Bring Back the 60s!!

Remember this? Well, we went to Refinery Art Space after my wee procedure to see how my piece was being installed. I was still feeling the effects of anesthetics, but a door to the side office was ajar and this jumped at me.

Grand reopening (or "Relaunch") of Refinery Art Space is on Friday this week. All welcome.

ReFinery Art Space

This is the front entrance of ReFinery Art Space, where Meg had participated in exhibition. See here and here.

Chez Eelco Revisited

Photo taken & posted with the permission of Refinery ArtSpace

A collection of artwork donated to Eelco Boswijk and Chez Eelco cafe is on auction at Refinery ArtSpace at the moment to raise funds for Nelson Arts Council. I understand Eelco moved out of his big house and had to let go of some of his treasures, and his family donated these to Arts Council. 

Walking into the gallery was eery as there were some works that used to look down at us as we sipped coffee, listened to different languages spoken on any given day, and in my case, ate lunch every week day for one year until suddenly, one day, I found the place closed. We also bought our very first New Zealand painting at an exhibition at Chez, pronounced in New Zealand like "chaise".

You can see all the pieces on the Arts Counsel website and even bid over the Internet if you are so inclined. Bidding closes 12.30PM , Friday June 1.

Here are some links: about the auction here and here; what the place looked like way before our time; our posts relating to the place or the man.

Changing Threads Exhibition

@ Refinery Artspace

In Need of Something Funky to Wear?

Refinery Art Space - the third place in the Universe you can get Yours Truly's stuff; they conveniently hides the way to the Staff Only space and the loo, but you can see them immediately after you enter the building. They've always been very kind to me. Thanks!

Refinery Art Space Front Door Knob

Duncan said it doesn't turn, so you just grab and push/pull it. As if that makes it any less interesting...

Art Market

Sunday @ Refinery ArtSpace