The Mayoral Race Everyone Wins

9 August, 2007

The Mayoral Race Everyone Wins

Vote Via Text for Favourite Mayoral Masterpiece and Help Disadvantaged Kiwi Kids achieve their dreams

Six Auckland mayors have traded in their mayoral chains for a palette of paint to capture on canvas the essence of what makes their city or district special as part of the Mazda Artworks Charity Art Exhibition – on at the Hilton Auckland from 27 August – 1st September.

Now Aucklanders have the chance to vote for their favourite painting and at the same time make a $3 donation to Variety’s Gold Heart Scholarship Fund helping sick, disabled and disadvantaged children throughout the country reach their life goals in music, the arts, education or sport.

To view the mayoral masterpieces visit www.mazdaartworks.co.nz and click on the Mayoral Art link. Discover what inspired them and become art critic for the day by casting a vote for your preferred work while donating to a very worthy cause.

People can vote by texting the surname of the mayor they think has produced the best work to the SMS charity shortcode 3622. The text will cost $3 which will be donated in full to Variety’s Gold Heart Scholarship Fund.

Donations from each text will be credited to the specific mayor’s total and the mayor with the most votes will be named at a special Friends of Variety Art Lovers Luncheon held at Mazda Artworks on August 31st.

The mayoral artists are Auckland City mayor Dick Hubbard, Waitakere City mayor Bob Harvey, Manukau City mayor Sir Barry Curtis, North Shore City mayor George Wood, Papakura District mayor John Robertson and Franklin District mayor Mark Ball.

All the mayors’ paintings will be on display at the Mazda Artworks event, where the public can view them up close and continue to vote for their work of choice.

All proceeds raised by public text voting, mayoral artworks auction and Friends of Variety Art Lovers’ luncheon, will go towards the Variety Gold Heart Scholarship Fund to assist talented children achieve his or her goal, in the face of illness, disability or particular life challenge.

To purchase tickets to the Variety Art Lovers’ luncheon please call Variety on 520-4111 or book online www.variety.org.nz. Tickets are $80 incl GST and include luncheon, talk by special guest speaker, Marti Friedlander and multiple entries to Mazda Artworks at the Hilton.

The annual Mazda Artworks exhibition and sale of art at the Hilton Auckland sees approximately 400 artists exhibiting more than 800 works of art, as well as emerging art, ceramics and glass sculpture exhibitions.

Voting for mayoral art closes 30th August 2007.

Variety Gold Heart Scholarship Fund

The Scholarship Fund makes available to each recipient a maximum of $5,000 per annum for up to three years to help fulfill their life dreams. This could include assisting with tuition fees, personal development, coaching, the purchase of training equipment, travel or accommodation. Leading professionals and celebrities will mentor successful applicants in their chosen pursuits.

Applications are reviewed by the Variety Grants Committee and scholarships are granted to applicants who can show their passion and commitment to a long term life or career aspiration. Applicants need to be eligible under Variety's 'special needs' criteria, being sick, disabled or disadvantaged in some way and be under the age of 18 years in the year of application.

The Variety Gold Heart Scholarship Fund was launched in Feb 2007. For more info on applying for a 2008 scholarship please go to www.variety.org.nz

George Wood
Mayor North Shore City
‘Takapuna Beach’
My painting depicts the idyllic Takapuna beach which is just below our Council offices. It is a scene which is constantly changing depending on the mood of the weather. It can be people playing on the golden sands or small and large vessels plying across the water. Takapuna beach is beauty personified.
To vote for Mayor George Wood TXT Wood to 3622
Text votes cost $3 and this cost is donated in full to Variety

Bob Harvey
Mayor Waitakere City
‘My Flag’
This painting depicts the lifesaving flag at Karekare beach where I have been a lifesaver for 50 years. Karekare is not for those who prefer safe landscapes. There's an overpowering sense of place here. The moment you arrive, you know this is a special place.
To vote for Mayor Bob Harvey TXT Harvey to 3622
Text votes cost $3 and this cost is donated in full to Variety

John Robertson
Mayor Papakura District

‘Supercity Pirates’

Inspired by the “Pirates of the Caribbean”.
We say ‘No’ to a Supercity! The central image represents our strong community values and our proud military connections, including our Army Camp from which tens of thousands of servicemen went to war, and as the home of NZ’s SAS.

Papakura has a pact with the SAS providing for our defence, to be invoked if required!

To vote for Mayor John Robertson TXT Robertson to 3622
Text votes cost $3 and this cost is donated in full to Variety

Sir Barry Curtis
Mayor Manukau City Council

‘Rarotonga Apopo’

I had just completed a lengthy submission for presentation to the Cook Islands Government. With this being uppermost in my mind, I decided to paint a picture which reflects my submission, ‘Rarotonga Apopo’ – leadership, colour, vibrancy and the preservation of a magnificent environment.

To vote for Mayor Sir Barry Curtis TXT Curtis to 3622
Text votes cost $3 and this cost is donated in full to Variety

Mark Ball
Mayor Franklin District

‘Ko Pukekohe te Maunga’

My twin sister and I spent the first few days of our lives on the slopes of Pukekohe Hill and I have lived within sight of it for all of my life. From the top, one can scan 360 degrees and get a complete picture of Franklin - a patchwork of ploughed and planted paddocks reflect the handiwork of generations of Indian, Chinese and European growers. Farms of all varieties dot the landscape with the 'mighty Waikato' meandering its way to the sea. This is my hill, overlooking my home. It truly is heartland New Zealand.

To vote for Mayor Mark Ball TXT Ball to 3622
Text votes cost $3 and this cost is donated in full to Variety

Dick Hubbard
Mayor Auckland City

‘It is People, it is People, it is People’

This “introspective” work illustrates the symbiotic relationship between place and people. People make a place, but equally a place makes people. The development of Auckland must reflect both sides of this symbiotic relationship. An intrinsic part of the Auckland people/place picture is colour and vitality and energy – this artwork has been constructed to reflect this.

Following the release of this artwork on the unsuspecting people of Auckland the artist advises, (with regret), that he will be reverting to his day job.

To vote for Mayor Dick Hubbard TXT Hubbard to 3622
Text votes cost $3 and this cost is donated in full to Variety

ENDS

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