Artist Statement: Carol Teutscher

Carol’s art journey included 3 years at Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University, in the mid 1970’s.  Afterwards she worked in graphics and art teaching roles in Wellington and the Wairarapa.

Later, living in the outer Marlborough Sounds for seventeen years, she painted watercolours “en plein air” in that lush environment of NZ bush and seascapes, selling through local outlets. 

Changing direction and back in Wellington, now at Massey University, she graduated as a nurse.  Carol then worked her way north through Horowhenua.  Here she continued painting, capturing the more open farmed landscape and people.

Whilst keeping her hand in the Health sector, Carol returned to home territory, the Whanganui District, where she and her partner took up sheep and beef farming. Woodcut printing became a new interest and she has used this medium to document people in farming. This combines her love of the land and figure drawing. 

Carol is recently retired from both farming and nursing, however pressing on with the art journey!

The woodcuts in this exhibition served to produce a 2024 calendar. This was a fundraising project for her local Rural Women New Zealand branch.  Each year with bursaries, the Fordell Mangamahu group assists a number of children into their secondary education.

Artist Statement: John Smart

I’ve taken photos for as long as I can remember, starting with “instamatics” with square black and white prints, leading on to colour prints and SLR cameras with changeable lenses, all while needing to be frugal with film.

I got my first digital camera in 2003 (a Canon Powershot G3) and this has been followed by a series of DSLR cameras, all Canons - the 350D and 500D before transitioning to a full size sensor 6D Mark II. Accompanied, of course, by a growing range of lenses. No longer needing to be frugal with film, my journey from a photo taker to a photo maker began.

Joining the Whanganui Camera Club in late 2016 accelerated that transition and, coupled with the greater time available to play in retirement, has enabled me to greatly develop my skills - and hopefully art - as a photographer. I’ve recently transitioned again, to my first mirrorless camera, the Canon R6 Mark II.

My inspiration has always been the buzz of looking through the view finder and capturing an image that resonates with me. A fellow photographer told me that after you have taken your first 50,000 images you will know how to use your camera instinctively. You can then use it as a tool to explore your own art.

I’m well past the 50,000 images now and have gained my LPSNZ and APSNZ honours from the Photographic Society of New Zealand, but there is no end in sight to my journey as a photographer.

More recently I feel I have found my focus in what I describe as urban photography - encompassing places, the street, architecture, structures and people.

The images on display are largely from my work over recent years and are mostly ones that I think represent my wide definition of urban photography. 

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