'Between the Tides' by Kairava Gullatz and Stefanie Kroeger

EXHIBITION OPENING

'Between the Tides' - Ceramics by Kairava Gullatz and Oil Paintings by Stefanie Kroeger.

KAIRAVA
Thank you for coming to see our shared show! Clay has been in my life for the last 40 years as the material of my profession and to express my creative inspirations. Aren’t I lucky?! When I chose to study Ceramic Design and become a ceramicist I didn’t know that touching clay is very therapeutic too. During the last couple of years, when fear and uncertainty rattled my system - caused by the pandemic and lockdowns - touching the soft material was my anchor in the stormy sea of the daily news. When I sit down on the wheel, my focus is on the clay and my sense of touch while the material changes from a solid ball into thin-walled vessels. It is my meditation, bringing me into this moment - rather than worrying about an unknown future or possible outcomes. I enjoy the process of shaping functional as well as sculptural forms, which are playful and unique - a surprise to me in the making process. My inspiration is the beautiful nature of Aotearoa and the wild oceans that surround it. The admiration for the wild untamed as well as gentle West Coast gets reflected in the figuration, colour choice and patterns of my works. I live in Piha for the last 20 years with my partner Premo and we love this most beautiful part of the world.

STEF
Water is the main theme of Stefanie's paintings in this show. The artworks can be categorised into two groups: surf with headlands and calm water. The surf images are typically based on photos taken on relatively calm offshore days with iconic local headlands defining the location. The calm-water images are a style she has embraced more recently and they feature abstract pattern qualities while still being realistic oil paintings at the same time.