24
Mar
Treasure in Tapawera – Hidden Sculpture Garden and Gallery
We drove past the Hidden Sculpture Garden about 12 months ago on the way to visit a hop garden in Tapawera. My father was behind the wheel. I immediately had a flashback to childhood family holidays where unless the diversion was on the right side of the road on the way to our destination, there was no stopping. That day was no exception. We sailed on by. What a shame. My parents would have loved it as much as we did twelve months later.
The Hidden Sculpture Garden and Gallery is a delight. Established by David Carson, the resident artist, and his lovely wife Rachel back in 2008 on the family farm, the Garden is well worth stopping for. In fact it deserves to be a destination in its own right. It is situated 45 mins from Nelson and Motueka along the Motueka Valley Highway and is also now part of the Great Taste Cycle Trail if you want to ride there.
David and Rachel have stylishly converted some farm buildings into two galleries that not only exhibit David’s work but also the work of a number of other accomplished NZ artists. The works on display were interesting, vibrant and often witty. It is times like these I wish our motorhome HQ was more like Dr Who’s Tardis and could accommodate my lust for art. However the good news – Rachel is happy to arrange packing and postage for any pieces you can’t be without.
Through one of the galleries you enter a sheltered walled courtyard overlooking a pond and mature trees. It is not a manicured garden. It has more of a wild loose feel. If you follow the mown path around the pond and between the trees you ramble past works by David as well as other artists.
David’s work is more organic. Many of the pieces are crafted from wood. Some are colourful, others blend into the environment. One piece Sleep Walker made me think of Gulliver’s Travels – a large log was held aloft by many thin black wooden supports. It was as if the supports were transporting a sleeping giant. You could almost see the log moving through the forest.
Most of the works are on a large scale. For example, Faux Topiaries, large upright logs crowned with a giant nest of red pick up sticks. One “topiary” would look great as a statement piece in an urban garden. They looked striking as a group of three on display in the Hidden Garden.
There are also some of David’s earlier pieces that were made from recycled saw blades. A large urn crafted from blades looked amazing nestled into the grasses. As does a smaller piece titled Bean, but there are no prizes for guessing what shape that piece was.
On a jetty protruding into the pond is a white life size figure of a man wearing pink togs. Not budgie smugglers. Think more the blue speedos sported by Daniel Craig in one of his earlier Bond movies. It is a work by Sam Duckor-Jones titled Strong Men Point Their Toes. Like many of the pieces on display you can’t help but smile.
A couple of pieces by Grant Scott contrast David’s more organic pieces. Grant’s works are large metallic tapestry forms. One called Mother hangs from a tree branch slowly turning in the breeze. It is mesmerising.
All of the art is displayed thoughtfully and with care. Around every corner there is a surprise. Some pieces are whimsical, some are brutish. They all make you stop and appreciate the talent of the artist.
The day we visited was beautiful. The sun was streaming through the trees. The cicadas were almost deafening. We were in no hurry to leave. In fact Rachel invited us, as she does all of their visitors, to picnic in the garden. Lily, the schnauzer, was welcome too. What a great spot to spend the afternoon.
If an afternoon is not enough, you can stay the night. There is a cottage on the farm, available for rent on Airbnb . I could think of nothing nicer.
Hidden Sculpture Garden and Gallery 4854 Motueka Valley Highway, Tapawera, Tasman, South Island