In March forty Friends of Te Papa took an Art Lovers Tour to Mahara Gallery in Waikanae. There they were able to see a tiny but exquisite exhibition: Frances Hodgkins in Kapiti.

Drawn from the Field Collection and curated by Mahara Director, Janet Bayly, the exhibition of photos, paintings and sculpture showcased Frances Hodgkin’s artistic milieu and early work. Tour members were treated to an evolving range of caricatures, portraits, landscapes and still life. Particularly striking were two contrasting photographs of Hodgkins, one as a rather hesitant Victorian painter in her mid-thirties, the other as an established modern artist in her early fifties. An engaging introduction from Te Papa’s Curator Historical New Zealand Art, Rebecca Rice (pictured), ensured full appreciation of what the exhibition had to offer.

In response to demand, a further Art Lovers Tour to Mahara Gallery was held in April. This was the last in the series of fascinating gallery tours organised by the Friends and funded by the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund.

Feature image: Detail from: Old Port Douarnenez, 1921. Frances Hodgkins. Courtesy of Field Collection.

Here’s some pics from the tours. Click on images to enlarge.