About | Mercury Bay Art Escape

ABOUT

Mercury Bay Art Escape Trust

The organisation is run by a core group of experienced and successful member-artists who report regularly to the Trustees. The Trustees are artists and community volunteers with organisational, financial and business experience. We operate on a collaborative basis and encourage ideas, input and involvement from all member artists.Our core group has a broad range of skills and offers guidance, advice and mentoring to the wider group.

Our Mission

"To promote and develop the growth of the visual arts in the Mercury Bay area in particular, and the wider Coromandel Peninsula in general"

We work diligently to promote awareness of the richness, quality and eclectic character of the Coromandel Peninsula's Mercury Bay area art scene through developing our vision by:

+ Creating a dynamic, vibrant and quality art tour and local exhibitions

+ Successfully promoting our art talent through events in the wider New Zealand Community

+ Showcasing new, diverse and innovative emerging artists

+ Working closely with organisations to enhance development of art tourism activity

+ Rapidly growing the contribution of art to the success of the region and visitors' enjoyment

Our History

In 2006, the ideas and initiative of local artists Betty Collings and Dave Fowell established the highly successful Mercury Bay Cultural Weekend, featuring 20 Open Art Studios. This showcasing of Mercury Bay’s outstanding artistic and cultural diversity for both local residents and the greater New Zealand art community rapidly evolved into a regular and wider event.

Renamed the Mercury Bay Art Escape in 2008, Art Escape featured a single weekend Open Studio Tour. The website was launched and with regular upgrades quickly became a much viewed, year round exhibition space for Mercury Bay artists.

A major milestone in 2011 was the formation of The Mercury Bay Art Escape Trust (MBAET) to formally recognise the increasing status and professionalism of the event. In 2012 the Trustees’ decision to recognise the growth of the Art Tour and artists’ expectations saw the Open Studio Tour confirmed as an annual event and in 2013 the first professional curator and administrator was appointed.

The Trust gained its first Community and Local Government Grant before the 2011 Studio Tour, enabling it to expand and cover two weekends with more artists and events than ever before. The number of visitors continues to increase with each Tour, with 2015 being the most successful ever with a record number of participating artists, studio visits, sales and an increase in visitors from outside the Coromandel region.

In November 2013 the first annual MBAET Student Scholarships were announced in conjunction with Mercury Bay Area School.

We get tremendous generosity and support from our community leaders, sponsors and volunteers and expect the Mercury Bay Art Escape to continue to grow and be an outstanding experience for all our visitors and artists alike.

Our Trustees

Jennifer Panther

Trustee Treasurer

I have had a Financial corporate background for the last 40 years and 3 years ago I moved to Tairua. I had not done any painting until then so I decided to give it a go.

I love the challenges it gives me so I was honoured to be asked to become a Trustee and be accepted in the Art Escape as an artist. I have also been a Justice of the Peace for the past 30 years.

My background in the corporate world was setting up new accounting systems and having large numbers of staff to work with which has been very rewarding and I am looking forward to working with artists in the MBAE in the future.

Jane Walsh

Trustee

My involvement with the Art Escape has been as and Artist and Trustee since 2023. I am privileged to be able to spend time painting in my studio at Cooks Beach.

It is great to be part of a team that works so hard at keeping art alive in the wider community.

Lynda Grant

Trustee

After holidaying for many years on the Peninsula as a child and adult, we moved to Whitianga 6 years ago to start Coromandel’s CFM radio station, this was after leaving a career in luxury cosmetics as a Manager and Buyer. I have been on the Mercury Bay Business Association Board for 4 years, 2 as Chair and am now looking to take some of my business and logical thinking skills to a more creative environment. I am not an artist but I have always had an appreciation of all forms of art and look forward to supporting the Mercury Bay Art Escape team.

Lynne Kingsbury

Trustee

We have been part of the Hahei community for 20 years. In my working life I've been a high school English teacher, worked in busy commercial libraries in London and the last long stint was as a research librarian in the University of Auckland Business School assisting students with research and staff in creating teaching resources. I'm passionate about decisions informed by good research. My art involvement consists of appreciation and liking artists as friends, therefore I am keen to help the MBAE flourish.

Kate Beauchamp APSNZ

Trustee

Having spent 24 years in the finance industry, moving to Whitianga, ten years ago, gave me more time to follow my photography passion. I have had a keen interest in Photography and the arts since my teens. In 2023 I gained the honours distinction of Associateship with the Photographic Society of New Zealand. Since moving to the Coromandel I have enjoyed visiting the Art Escape open studios, and took part myself for the first time in 2024. I'm keen to help the Mercury Bay Art Escape go from strength to strength.

Sally Samins

Trustee

I have been an artist my whole life, as a photographer, ceramicist, and painter. We became part time residents in Hot Water Beach nearly 20 years ago, spending the rest of our time in San Diego or my native Sydney. I am still an active artist, showing in California, Australia and NZ and have my main studio in Hot Water Beach. I have been a member of MBAE for more than 10 years, I am excited about helping MBAE move forward, our goals are to promote art and artists in the Coromandel, and to discover and nurture new artists in our area. I think it is important for anyone who can to give back to the art community

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Lynette Hendrikse

Trustee

My first memory of art was looking through The Family of Man, a photographic journal belonging to my dad. Ever since then I have been immersed in creativity, and received my first camera at the age of 14, entering the darkroom a few years later when at Art School.

I have always followed the creative whether it be art, food or music, eventually joining the corporate world of branding, marketing and events.

In 2012, I moved to the Coromandel and immediately became involved with the original Creative Mercury Bay Trust where I began marketing art and tourism to the community.

My passion for art lies in the sharing amongst generations and the positive effect creativity has on a personal level as well as within the community

Louise Van Den Brink

Trustee

I have a love of both Coromandel, the environment, all animals, and art.

I live in Auckland but holiday at Hot Water Beach

While not a practicing artist; For many years now, I attend weekly lectures on the NZ art scene, international highlights and how art history influences artists.

I am member of Auckland Art Gallery Contemporary Benefactors – a philanthropic group which funds an artist commission at the gallery – offering NZ public the chance to gain an understanding and appreciation of Contemporary art and ideas.

I’ve joined MBAE late 2024, and hope to support this fabulous community initiative and art opportunity on our magic Peninsular.

Our Trustees

Our Patrons

We are privileged to have the joint patronage of two of New Zealand’s preeminent figures in the arts world, Michael Smither and Fatu Feu'u.

Michael Smither, CNZM is one of New Zealand’s most famous contemporary artists. Otama resident and foundation member of the Mercury Bay Art Escape Michael was appointed the Art Escape’s first ‘Patron Artist’ in 2015 in recognition both of his standing as a New Zealand artist, but more importantly the contribution he makes to all of the arts in our region because of his stature and support for the Art Escape and it’s member artists.

Fatu Feu’u ONZM, renowned Samoan artist, grew up in the village of Putasi in Western Samoa, emigrating to New Zealand in 1966 and now lives on the Thames Coast. Exhibiting since the 1980s, he has been recognised nationally and internationally for his work. He is acknowledged as both a leader and mentor within the Pacific arts movement and the wider Polynesian community. In November 2022 he was one of 3 recipients of the Arts Foundation’s highest honour The Arts Foundation Icon Award, Whakamana Hiranga, a title given to a living circle of just 20 creatives at one time, for their extraordinary lifetime achievements and mark on the arts.

Our Sponsors

Many thanks to the generosity and support of our business sponsors and partners.

Art Escape is very grateful for the generous support we receive from organisations and local businesses. Please support these contributors when you can.