Exciting Addition To Wellington Waterfront

Press Release 16 March 2009

Exciting Addition To Wellington Waterfront Experience

The Boatshed Gallery, established by Wellington women Anna Leydon and Maria Francesca Te Huki, is an exciting addition to Wellington’s waterfront experience. Nestled under Frank Kitts Park facing the waterfront, the gallery will be officially opened on Friday, 20th March at 5.30pm, by Councillor Ray Ahipene-Mercer.
The gallery will be a show case for Anna and Maria Francesca’s work and also other artisans will be given the opportunity of exhibiting, marketing and selling their work. “We really want to encourage local artisans by giving them the opportunity of being a visiting artist at our gallery. We want to encourage emerging artists who may not otherwise have an outlet for their work” said Anna Leydon

Anna is the designer and creator of Zamm Lights, a unique range of contemporary hand crafted lighting inspired by the simplicity and beauty of nature. Anna’s hand crafted lampshades are all designed and created in her studio in Lyall Bay and have a low carbon footprint The 100% recyclable polypropylene plastic material used for the lampshades is sourced from Australia and the metal lampshade interior is made locally

Maria Francesca, a Lower Hutt artisan, has developed a distinctive array of gorgeous hand made jewellery drawing on the influence of her Italian background. She has an array of stunning earrings, romantic necklaces and opulent bracelets.

Anna came up with the idea of establishing the gallery while walking her dog around the waterfront area. She noticed the boatshed they now occupy was just being used as a storage area by the City Council’s waterfront cleaners and felt the space would be perfect for a gallery. So with the help of Anna and Maria Francesca's friends and family the shed has been transformed.

The first visiting artist at the gallery is Steve Bolt, a Wellington based photographer. His work includes images from across NZ but with a soft spot for this city's vibrancy. This showing follows his recent successful exhibition in Wellington earlier this year. His images have been printed on stretched canvas and really leap off the wall.

The Boatshed Gallery is located in boatshed 3 under Frank Kitts facing the waterfront. The gallery will be open weekdays 12noon to 2.30pm and on weekends 10am to 4.30pm, weather permitting.

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