“Art should taunt.”
Marking twenty years of Mercury Bay Art Escape, we’re highlighting one of the founders, Betty Collings, by talking to the other founder Dave Fowell. Now in her 94th year, Betty is a highly distinguished artist and innovator in sculpture, painting and ceramics.
Betty and her husband Ted Collings were living in Wellington in the 1960s when Ted was enticed to what became a long, distinguished scientific career in the USA.
Betty took that opportunity to develop a stellar international career in the arts and curation. Around 30 years ago, when visiting the Coromandel, Betty and Ted fell in love with Hahei and a house, which led to them dividing their time between Columbus, Ohio and Hahei.
She met Dave Fowell and had conversations about how artists are lost in the countryside.
“Their art comes out but you never really get to meet the artist,” says Dave. “We wondered how we can get people to meet the artists, see their working environment and maybe understand more about the art they produce.”
Dave put the website and brochure together, then they realised they needed the artists. They knew some high profile ones but realised half a dozen isn’t enough to make it worthwhile.
“So, I got on the road and went hunting. I was absolutely amazed how many artists were hidden away in the bush. Coromandel artists tend to be really into their environment and don’t like living in town,” says Dave.
They were both surprised when around 25 artists showed up. Betty felt there was a need for recognition that there were serious thought-provoking artists in the Coromandel, not just hippies playing with art.
Dave said Betty’s experience and integrity makes her so good to work with. Her show curation and museum gallery work in the US was very interesting to him.
“We can get a little bit cloistered in New Zealand; to talk to someone who has actually done it overseas is very important,” says Dave. “She has a very keen eye for what good art is, and does good art herself.”
Betty believes that every true artist has the need to create and evolve. She describes her art as constantly experimental and believes that art should involve thought and an intensity, not just something relating to a beautiful view. “When you don’t know what your finished product is going to be, that is Art.”
When asked about the success of Art Escape over 20 years, Betty said she never thought about it lasting, but because it was so needed, its success makes sense.
You can watch Dave Fowell at the ALTBAYS Table Talk podcast here.
Words by Lynne Kingsbury and Ayana Piper-Healion
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