OH! Gallery is proud to present the first solo exhibition by Korakonui artist Pete Atkins.

Pete Atkins began his artistic journey with the encouragement of his high school art teacher, Reverend Ted Lewis- the acclaimed war artist. Growing up on a sheep and beef farm, his initial love of the land manifested in a shepherding career where he had a deep rapport with his working dogs and often competed with them in trial competitions across the country. Pete eventually moved into other ventures including running a Four Square and managing a rural delivery postal business-

“ …which I loved!”

It wasn’t until retirement that Pete found his art practice flowed without resistance, and now, perched in a homestead overlooking the rolling hills and patchwork paddocks of Korakonui and Maihiihi, he has a dedicated studio- cozy like an eagles nest. It’s here that Pete works almost feverishly on a never-ending series of landscapes, each sitting somewhere along an aesthetic scale, sometimes the drawings are figurative and realistic, sometimes they are ethereal dreamscapes or a full- on psychedelic vision.

Water-colour, inks, pen, pencil on paper are Pete’s chosen medium, which allow for minute detail, intense colour and leaves room for the welcome ‘happy’ mistakes. 
Inside this landscape the trees, rocks, rivers, clouds can dislocate, repeat, and mirror. Mountain ranges can emerge gently as multitudes or spring forward boldly at the viewer like stained glass or an intense kaleidoscope.

Where is this land- where is this place? The answer is, you are in it and it is everywhere – all at once.

The exhibition contains framed and unframed works on paper, of locations including, the King Country, Korakonui, Canterbury, Kaikoura and Malborough. 
The pieces range from A5 to A1 in size, ranging from $20 to $900 and can be purchased via the café staff. 
Ō Café is open Monday – Saturday 7.30am – 3pm, and Sunday 8am – 2pm

You can contact Pete via his facebook page 
https://www.facebook.com/peter.atkins.3726

OH! Gallery is an initiative by Ōtorohanga District Council to weave art and creativity into our everyday lives 
and platform the creative talent we have in our district. Exhibitions are booked in advance, and three exhibitions are staged per year.