Showtime Canterbury Painted Horses About to Begin!

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL LEISURE

24 October, 2002

Media Statement

The Showtime Canterbury Painted Horses are About to Begin!

Project begins in Cathedral Square On November 1st from 11.30am, and the life-sized model horses will be transformed in to works of art during business hours at the following locations from November 1st to 10th
- Cathedral Square - outside the Visitor Information Centre
- Ballantynes - outside on Cashel Mall or if wet, on the Airbridge
- Shades Arcade - outside on Cashel Mall or if wet, inside the mall.
- Hornby Mall

Four talented local artists have been chosen to create three-dimensional artworks unique to the city; The Showtime Canterbury Painted Horses.

Inspired by public art works in Europe and the USA, the four life-sized model thoroughbreds will be used as a canvas, and will be transformed over a 10 day period, in city venues, giving the public the opportunity to see an artwork evolve.

The four diverse creations are all inspired by the theme “What Canterbury Means to You” which has been interpreted by our four sponsors Ballantynes, LiteFM, Harcourts, and Templeton Saddlery.

Celia Ballantyne will create a Painted Horse for her families business. She is a 25 year old Polytech Design graduate, who majored in print. Environmental issues inspire her work, with nature featuring prominently and Celia embraces a realistic style, with emphasis on texture and colour. Her concept for the Painted Horse was developed on-site in Victoria Park, where she drew the city and mountain view. She has just completed an exhibition of her work at Creation.
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Ngaire McNeill will create a Painted Horse for Harcourts. To Ngaire, the horse is the greatest of all God’s creatures, and her strong affinity with horses drew her to this project. She has painted in acrylics for many years, focusing on driftwood, exploring the shape of paint on an object, selling her work from The Boulevard at The Arts Centre.

Sharon Earl is from Hawarden in North Canterbury. She will create a Painted Horse for Templeton Saddlery. Sharon was brought up around horses, working on a farm, and as a stud groom. After vet nursing, her love of animals and art merged and she began full-time animal portraiture. Using pencil, oil, stone and wood, her works encapsulate the energy and character of her subjects. She plans to bring texture, striking colour and significant rural themes to her Painted Horse.

Maria Park has undertaken classical drawing studies and attained a diploma in painting from Auckland ASA. Maria will create a Painted Horse for LiteFM . She aims to be a versatile artist and produce a wide range of quality work. Her preference is for “the symbolic representation of the vitality and sometimes hidden things in life”. Her Painted Horse concept embraces colour and action, depicting a wide variety of lifestyle activities, shapes, form and texture.

The completed Showtime Canterbury Painted Horses will be on display from November 10th to 17th during Showtime Canterbury. Call 941 6840 for location details.
ENDS.
Photo opportunity:
Meet the four artists, and their amazing model horses on Tuesday 29th October, from 10 to 11am at 155 Mays Road (Papanui, Christchurch) The artists will be available to discuss their concepts and themselves.

For more information, call Beatrice Cheer, PR and Promotions Coordinator with Christchurch City Council Leisure Events,
Ph 941 8495 or 025 86 88 71

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