The Art co-op was the creation of three friends, Kathryn Engebretsen (artist), Marti Wong (metal sculpture artist) and Eben Wilson (building owner). They had all moved into Grahamstown, Thames at the end of 2020 and were looking at creating something new in this location.
After a lot of thought and planning, Vessel opened its doors in October 2021. Initially Eben was running exhibitions through the shop in Pollen Street, but due to the lockdowns business was slow. The idea of creating a Co-op as a place to sell art seemed an excellent solution.
It was their intention that Vessel would be more than a shop or gallery and that it needed to be a place of support and connection for artists as well as the community. Both Kathryn and Marti had experienced firsthand how being an artist could be an isolating occupation, and creating a place that could act as an artist hub was very important to them.
A call was put out to the Thames community, a core group of artists committed to this project and Vessel was underway. It was essential that it was a place where people could work together, bringing their skills and contributing to evolving and building the co-op. Early on, their intentions on this were agreed upon, which in turn created a solid foundation that still holds firm today. From the very beginning, it was decided that the co-op was to be inclusive and supportive and that philosophy is credited to its success.
The name Vessel was chosen to represent a place that could hold us and move us all forward and it has certainly done that! The co-op has continued to grow and after having its doors open for over 2 years the place is humming!
It is currently a collective of 13 artists who are members, and a handful of non-members selling their art on a commission basis. Together a wide variety of works are offered, including painting, drawing and printmaking, soft textiles, bags recreated from hand-stitched tapestry, ceramic bowls, mugs, felted-wool sea creatures, woollen felt work and weaving, plant-dyed textiles and silver jewellery, rusty metal fire pits and cleverly assembled quirky mythological creatures, works created from discarded utilitarian objects, gift cards and more. This makes for an eclectic and interesting gallery that is ever changing.
They also have regular exhibitions where artists are supported in putting together and organising shows, which are open to the wider Thames community. The intention is to encourage tomorrow’s budding artists, as well as giving established local artists a space in which to grow. These exhibition openings have grown over time; the public are invited to share some food and drink and maybe a bit of live music to give Vessel and the community a sense of connection, celebration and support. Everyone helps with these events and the rewards are experience and confidence, beneficial to all involved. There is a major focus on supporting and encouraging other artists and to make Thames, and in particular Grahamstown a destination.
The members meet fortnightly to discuss current issues, plan future projects and vote on welcoming further members or commission artists into the Gallery. All members take on the responsibility of being in the shop at least one day a fortnight and each member benefits from talking about their own art and other members’ artwork to the public and receiving their feedback. There is a dedicated exhibition space available for artists to utilise and new works are rotated regularly (at least once a month). The business of being an artist is not just about creating a product – learning about marketing, pricing, self-promotion, social media and general shop work has been invaluable to our artists. We all learn from each other and with each other; it’s an ongoing process that is a big part of the experience of being in the co-op.
Some of our Vessel members have been heavily involved in promoting Grahamstown as a destination and were instrumental in organising Twilight in Grahamstown events, which were Friday late nights with live music, shops and cafes open – the community came out strongly in support. Further Twilight in Grahamstown events are planned and we hope the Thames community continue to support an initiative which enriches everyone. Vessel is involved in ongoing community projects, such as a descriptive map of Grahamstown, highlighting interesting and important things to do, and each solstice and equinox is celebrated with music and food.
Grahamstown in Thames was once New Zealand’s biggest town and it still is the heritage end of Thames, retaining a wealth of historical buildings from the gold-mining days. If you find yourself in Grahamstown, take advantage of all it has to offer, including cafes, organic suppliers, speciality stores, aviator simulators, galleries, antiques, plus a plant shop, ice-cream parlour, distillery, to name but a few. Especially come and visit us at Vessel and meet one of our friendly artists.
We have the exhibition ‘Ritual’ coming up from March 28th until May 1st. Come and experience ‘Ritual,’ an exhibition by the talented members of the Vessel art group. Join us for the opening community event on Thursday, March 28th, just before Easter, and immerse yourself in the unique artworks created by our group of artists.
Back Row: John Mckeowen, Kathryn Engebretsen, Miriam Saphira, Susan Clark, Pam Mayos, Marti Wong, Laurie Spera, Benjamin Ragland, Mandy Seth
Front Row: Heidi Monks, Kanani Cowell
Absent: Sandra Robbins, Cherry Parsons
words by the Vessel Art Co-op
You can find more details about the Vessel Art Co-op on Instagram, Facebook or visit them at 752 Pollen Street, Grahamstown, Thames.
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