Another workmanship exhibition opened in Motueka

Another workmanship exhibition opened in Motueka last Saturday, the "Craftsmanship Hub" found at 389 High Street inverse the Caltex petrol station. 

Eight nearby specialists are showing their artworks, pastel and pencil drawings, ceramics, flax weaving, fiber model, and so forth. 

The craftsmen included in the agreeable wander are Yvonne Hammond, Helena Morris, Vicki Cowling, Pam Wood, Rowena Lukomska, Barbara Mcintosh, Joyce Griffin and Cushla Moorhead. Some financing for the activity was gotten from the Tasman Creative Communities store. 

"We are a little gathering of submitted specialists who meet routinely to impart motivation," Yvonne told The Guardian daily paper. "Our vision is an agreeable craftsmanship exhibition in Motueka." 

The exhibition is open seven days from 10.00am to 5.00pm, manned by one or a greater amount of the helping specialists. 

At first they tried to utilize incidentally void shopfronts within the focal shopping strip, however found that building holders and their operators were for the most part unwilling to oblige them on any transient premise. 

At that point building holder Brett Stevens secured for them the present building for a restricted period. 

"We mean to help approaching craftsmen into a group exhibition space through tutoring with displaying specialists," said Yvonne. 

"This procedure of offering data and instruction will incorporate craftsmanship and presentation practices, picture encircling, presentation, business arranging and developing the matter of workmanship, an online vicinity.

Motueka

The first known European visitor to the coast near Motueka in 1827 was French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, of the French corvette Astrolabe. He discovered and explained much of the Tasman Bay shore line. Three ships bringing the New Zealand Company's Nelson expedition, led by Captain Arthur Wakefield, fastened at Astrolabe Roads, north of Kaiteriteri Beach (about 16 km due north of Motueka) in October 1841. 

Kaiteriteri was chosen as a site for the first settlement but was afterward deserted in favour of Nelson Haven. The outstanding fertility of the soil and the aptness of the surrounding land for small farm agreement were the main concerns for the founding of the second town of the Nelson settlement at Motueka in 1842. Motueka was formed as a borough in 1900.

Motueka

The first known European visitor to the coast near Motueka in 1827 was French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, of the French corvette Astrolabe. He explored and described much of the Tasman Bay shore line. Three ships carrying the New Zealand Company's Nelson expedition, led by Captain Arthur Wakefield, anchored at Astrolabe Roads, north of Kaiteriteri Beach in October 1841. Kaiteriteri was selected as a site for the first settlement but was later abandoned in favour of Nelson Haven. The exceptional fertility of the soil and the suitability of the surrounding land for small farm settlement were the main reasons for the establishment of the second town of the Nelson settlement at Motueka in 1842. Motueka was created as a borough in 1900.

Moraceae

Moraceae — often called the mulberry family or fig family — are a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates. The only synapomorphy within Moraceae is presence of laticifers and milky sap in all parenchymatous tissues, but generally useful field characters include two carpels sometimes with one reduced, compound inconspicuous flowers, and compound fruits. Included are well-known plants such as the fig, banyan, breadfruit, mulberry, and Osage-orange. The 'flowers' of Moraceae are often pseudanthia (reduced inflorescences).

Motueka

The town of Motueka in the South Island of New Zealand lies close to the mouth of the Motueka River, on the western shore of Tasman Bay. It is, after Nelson and Richmond, the third largest centre in the Tasman Region, with a population of 7125 (2006 census). The Motueka Ward had an estimated population of 10,900 at 30 June 2009.

The surrounding district has a number of orchards, as well as growing a variety of specialised crops such as hops, and formerly serving as the main centre of tobacco growing in New Zealand. A number of small vineyards have developed in recent years, one (Neudorf) gaining an international reputation.

Nearby beaches (such as Kaiteriteri Beach and Marahau) are very popular with holidaymakers, and the area around Motueka has one of the country's highest annual sunshine-hour indices.
Motueka, as one of the nearest towns to the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks, has become the base of many tourism ventures in those parks, as well as in Nelson Lakes National Park, and in other recreational areas. Extensive limestone cave systems (including Harwood Hole in the Takaka Hill area north of Motueka) attract cavers and rock climbers. Sea kayaking and tramping now attract many thousands of visitors each year.

Many artists live in the area around Motueka, especially potters and reggae musicians. The Riverside Community, in nearby Lower Moutere is a pacifist intentional community. Founded in the 1940s, it is New Zealand's oldest cooperative living community.

Hanging flower baskets to adorn High Street shops

Hanging flower baskets to adorn High Street shops

September 15th, 2011
[by David Armstrong]
Motueka will this summer provide the colourful vista of hanging flower baskets along the High Street retail strip, thanks to an initiative by Our Town Motueka and voluntary assistance of the Rural Fire Network.

At last night's Our Town AGM chairman Howie Timms announced that after a lot of work behind the scenes by a determined group of members the popular beautification project will be ready for the tourist season. (Check out the simulation photos below.)

The Design and Heritage subcommittee, led by Anita Newport, has been working hard to find ways to beautify the Motueka CBD. "Last year the idea of hanging baskets was researched and after discussion with local irrigation professionals, the idea was put aside due to the difficulty of quoting for an irrigation system and issues contacting building owners etc," Anita told Motueka Online.

"This year we have been able to revisit the idea as the local Rural Fire Network have volunteered to water the baskets twice a week, which means we could trial a year of baskets without the expense of irrigation. We would encourage the support of business owners to help water the baskets outside their shops between times to keep baskets looking their best.

"We propose that the first year, baskets could be placed on High Street shop frontages with an estimated 50 baskets. This would be a great start to beautify the town and hope that with business support, we could increase the amount of baskets over an extended area for the following years."

Nelmac, which is responsible for the baskets in the Nelson CBD, is helping with the scheme.

The business promotion group's AGM drew a very good crowd of 28 people - about double that of last year's AGM. Also pleasing was the number of people voluntarily offering their services on the committee, usually a performance involving lots of arm-twisting.

OTM's treasurer John Murphy reported a solid financial position. The group has reserves of $25,311 and liabilities of $6892, and an operating deficit of $3293, which was much stronger than last year.

Manager Jacqui Taylor spoke about the two signature events that Our Town ran last year - the Starlight Parade and the Motueka River Raft Race. Both went very well, especially the raft race given it was a resurrection and a huge amount of work went into the planning behind the scenes.

"I consider that Our Town Motueka does an excellent job of representing its members with minimal resources," said Jacqui. "It is easy sometimes to compare ourselves to other towns and areas believing that we should have what they have or replicate what they do.

"However, I believe that our value and future lies in our environment, our community and our point of difference. What we need to harness is more positive people and willing workers to drive forward."

Before the official part of the AGM, guest speaker Bill Findlater, CEO of Nelson Economic Agency. He summarised the economic scene in the Nelson/Tasman region, saying that as we are and will remain primarily a food producer we are well placed for the future.

He emphasised the need for ongoing market research, particularly in Asia, to ensure we supply what people actually want rather than just what we think people should want. He said our shops and tourism operators need to be more aware of how to please Asian tourists.

He said that 'buying local' should not be the priority in the Nelson region because of our reliance on exports and trading with other nations. And he was enthused by the prospect of the Tasman Cycle Trail. "This one will rival any others in New Zealand, and local entrepreneurs should be looking at ways of taking advantage of this."