The South Canterbury Art Society is poised to hold its annual spring exhibition.
Society president Helen Willcock said they were expecting about 160 entries this year.
‘‘The whole idea is to encourage people to be brave enough to exhibit. We also want to give the public the chance to purchase good quality and affordable art.’’
Committee member Trisha Garrett said it took a lot of bravery to actually put your art out there.
‘‘It can be quite nerve-racking when you first exhibit.
‘‘It’s very important that artists like these have the space and opportunity to display their art.’’
The society also holds an autumn exhibition and an endof-year exhibition atthe Aigantighe Art Gallery in October.
Mrs Willcock said the end-ofyear exhibition was more selective whereas everyone was encouraged to put forward pieces for autumn and spring.
‘‘It’s all inclusive, it doesn’t cost the artists a lot to enter; it’s also great for encouraging new artists to put their work out there.
‘‘We do our best to encourage and help one another, especially to make sure things are displayed at exhibition standard.’’
The autumn exhibition held earlier in the year also featured about 160 entries and they sold about 30 pieces.
Mrs Willcock hoped the spring exhibition would be equally successful.
Pieces will be ‘‘pay and take away’’, enabling people to take away their purchases on the same day.
Mrs Garrett warned potential buyers that hoping things would still be available towards the end of the exhibition might prove a risky strategy this time around.
The society holds various workshops throughout the year and has had a Thursday art group since the 1950s, which was originally all male.
The first woman, Nina Devereux, joined in 1992 and they continue to welcome artists of all abilities and ages; from people who wish to ply their trade to just wanting abit of company.
The exhibition will begin tomorrow at 22 Gleniti Rd and run through until Sunday from 10am-4pm each day.
