The Taku Tikanga - My Culture exhibition celebrates the creativity of young people at schools from Te Kāhui Ako о̄ Kawakawa

With funding support from Creative Communities Manawatu, all Kāhui schools have the opportunity to access the art materials they need to bring creativity into their classroom. At the end of the year, 15 from each school are selected by teachers for display at Feilding Art Centre, with the works all reflecting a theme that aligns with Kāhui goals. This year, works are all about what makes our kids tick - their culture!

Colyton School

Kids at Colyton School have been inspired by the stars, sea, sky, and just about everything in between! Their works take a holistic view of what culture is, and the works are as diverse as the students who made them!

Feilding Intermediate School

The creative kids at FIS have explored photography, printmaking, drawing and woodcarving this year. Across the range of media, students explore culture in terms of where the come from and what they value.

Halcombe School

Students at Halcombe School have pushed the limits of creativity, producing sculptures and paintings with some unexpected and unconventional materials.

Hiwinui School

Have you ever wonder what a pepeha might look like if transformed from words into art? The kids at Hiwinui can show you - they have used their pepehas to inspire drawings, dioramas and sculptures.

Kiwitea School

15 tamariki from Kiwitea School have prepared art for this year's exhibition. Some of those tamariki drew inspiration from well-known contemporary artists, and have written explanations to support their choices. Read these below, and visit Feilding Art Centre to see if you can find the artworks that match each description!

Ebi Gibson - Inspired by Hannah Shand

Hannah Shand is a New Zealand artist who is very passionate about New Zealand's flora/fauna, And the native birds. Most of her art resembles birds combined with flowers or plants. She Has lived in Wellington and has recently moved to a small town, Gore, at the bottom of the South Island. She is married and expecting a baby but she refuses to give up on her passion.

REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS ARTIST

What I like about her art is the detail, the tiny lines, and shading, also lighting! So many things to worry about, but she does it perfectly. There is no way I can do it as well as she can, but I can certainly try, most of her art can take her a day or two.

ARTWORK TITLE: Little Kiwi

Isla Cudby - Inspired by Joe McMenamin

Joe was born in Wellington and moved to Feilding 7 years ago. In Wellington, Joe was a secondary Art teacher. Now Joe has a cool art Studio+Gallery in Feilding Manchester square. Joe teaches art classes that I have attended. They are really enjoyable, and you learn a lot of art skills and tips from him. Every week you get to bring an astonishing art piece home.

Joe enjoys painting murals around schools in the Manawatu. Joe's style is organic, flowering patterns, diving into painting, drawing, also making a delightful mess with dyes and printmaking.

Joe sells his art both online and in his studio. He makes cards, paintings, posters, big murals, painted objects, and much much more. Joe is now living happily in Feilding with his own art studio and family.

REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS ARTIST

The art that inspired me was an owl painting with a water colour and resin background. The owl's body has many patterns inside of it and that's why it's so unique.

ARTWORK TITLE: Patterns

Lytton Street School

Lytton Street School has been especially creative this year, with students producing collages and clay artworks. Each work represents the family history and identity of the child who made it.

Manchester Street School

The kids at Manchester Street drew on the shapes, colours and textures of traditional and contemporary taonga to create precious objects reflective of their own unique story. Paige, Tarah, and Ali provided us with the story of what inspired them: