Last week we set off for Napier, which is in the Hawke’s Bay region, for a short break. Half the five and a half hour trip from Auckland is covered quickly, as a new swathe of expressway bypasses Hamilton, a city which used to have motorists bumper to bumper making their way through the industrial outskirts. It was great to drive alongside the Waikato River looking out on the rolling green pasture filled with cattle, willow, poplars and late blossoming trees along the way. I took a few photos as we drove, knowing my phone does a good job of capturing a static image while we are moving, as I hoped to do a sketch or two once back home.
It rained the following day so we grabbed the hotel umbrellas and strolled about, enjoying a coffee here, lunch there, and visits to shops, private and public art galleries. The main art gallery is a museum combined, and was well worth the visit, with well-curated exhibits, beautifully displayed. Napier is well known for events featuring Art Deco, after a devastating earthquake in 1931 caused a huge rebuild of the city. The museum has a fascinating display of items from this time, plus excellent displays of the Māori history and its significance to the area.
On Saturday and Sunday we attended the Hawkes Bay Writers Festival, for a couple of events, held in the nearby town of Havelock North. This was well worth the visit; a far more relaxed occasion than the huge writers’ events Auckland hosts. The audience is able to clearly view all speakers, without relayed imaging on screens. And apart from this drawcard there are plenty of great cafes, and stores to explore.
And if that isn’t enough to keep people entertained, it is a world-famous area for wine. We didn’t visit a winery this trip, but did savour some when we dined at the wonderful Central Fire Station Bistro. Kerry and I certainly recommend eating here for a special night out. And, home again, where I end as I started, talking about the views from our car.
Beside the town park in Havelock North we spotted this tall Gum tree with a rope swing and boy. It is a sculpture in bronze BTW.
Next post I shall show you some sketches of very different scenes on the way home.
Many of New Zealand’s wines are available where I live (the Philadelphia area of the USA). And they are real good. Cheers! 🍷
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Great photos, Vivienne! Napier looks like an interesting place to visit, especially for those with an interest in Art Deco architecture. Looking forward to the sketches.
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It sounds like a lovely trip. I looked at the museum website; some interesting items there. I really like the photo of the swinging boy. From a distance he appears so life-like. In Amsterdam ( just behind the American Hotel) there is also a ‘surprising’ tree. On one of the branches there is a very small sculpture of a male figure. I always see it as the tram passes by. Thank you for this trip review and I look forward to the sketches.
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Thanks Yvonne. I loved the boy in the tree sculpture. The town he is in is a very pretty tree-filled place. Sometimes it is nice to get out of a city.
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I am glad to hear you and Kerry enjoyed the trip, Vivienne. I liked browsing through the Hawke’s Bay Museum collection online. I was particularly drawn to Georgina Hetley’s flower paintings: the use of a toned ground and opaque (gouache?) is most effective. It takes a fine touch, a whiplash sense of line and mastery of watercolours to pull those sorts of pictures off. Thanks for the link.
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Hi Phil, I agree that Georgina Hetley’s flower paintings are a good example of this genre. She has a light yet deft touch, like a skilled musician. I would think she used gouache, as it is a flexible medium, used to cover, or adding water to create a soft wash. I have a book by a little-known NZ artist Emily Cumming Harris, who was also fascinated by botanical studies. She too had a delicate touch with watercolour and movement with each stroke. My book is called Groundwork, by Michelle Leggott and Catherine Field-Dodgson. It’s a fascinating look at the artist’s life.
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We live far away from any coastline so I can well imagine, especially with the photo from Napier City, what lovely views you must have had as you travelled to your destination. I particularly like the sculpture which must have been a delightful find.
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