New artwork refreshes Mangawhai council office

17 Jan, 2022

A new display of art is on the walls of the Mangawhai office of the Kaipara District Council (KDC).

In an ongoing collaboration between Mangawhai Artists Inc (MAI) and KDC, three winners from the recent 2021 Kaipara Art Awards have contributed work to bring a fresh aspect to the Council offices. The work will be in place from January to the end of March.

Philippa Murray-Aynsley won the People’s Choice Award in the 2021 Kaipara Art Awards – and it’s easy to see why. Her work Innocence, painted in alkyd oils, is in a similar style to her winning work, Family Love. Placed immediately behind the reception desk, Innocence welcomes visitors and draws them in.

Philippa paints black and white portraits of people and animals and work on commission.

“I prefer to paint individuals or, at the most, two subjects in one painting as I like to really concentrate on their personality and emotion,” says Philippa.

Zivana Pauling won the 2D–Other Media Award, with her work Running down a Dream, which is now on display on the side wall of the reception area. Her love of animals shines through her work.

“I have a strong appreciation and deep sense of respect for all life on this planet which I hope to convey by showcasing my subjects in a bold and empowering light,” says Zivana.

Deb Hunter-Whitlock won the 2D–Painting Award with Sandspit Sanctuary, which the judge described as ‘an almost empty landscape under a vast sheltering and subtly painted sky’. Similar words can be used to describe the work she has contributed to this exhibition, Black Sands and Evening Mist, on display in a small meeting room off the reception area.

“My landscapes are inspired by the natural beauty and the atmospheric effects that create often surreal moments, when clouds wrap around the hills, the mist settles in a valley, or the setting sun shines through a stand of trees casting shadows across a paddock,” says Deb.

Details of each work and their artist are available on request in a folder held at the reception desk.

The collaboration between KDC and MAI is intended to enhance the office space for staff and visitors alike – and to illustrate how art can uplift and bring pleasure. So next time you visit the Mangawhai council office, check out the art on the walls, and smile.

Philippa Murray-Aynsley, ‘Innocence’. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

Zivana Pauling, ‘Running down a dream’.

Deb Hunter-Whitlock, ‘Black sands and evening mist’.