A MASSIVE Thank you!

To our sponsors, families, friends, bar-tenders, musicians, and to all of you who came along on Friday night to support us at our gallery opening and first exhibition, thank-you!

What an evening! We really had no idea what to expect, and by the end of the night I think we can fairly say that we had well over 200 people through our doors.

Many thanks to all of you, who put in the effort to support our contribution to Hamilton's art community. The vibe was awesome and it was so cool to see everyone enjoying the art, music and making the most of the evening.

Here are some pictures of the night, taken by photographer Renee Ashton. More will be posted onto our Facebook page very soon!

Anne Challinor, Rochelle Jones, Deborah Duffield, Craig McClure, Jack Gatasa-Shaw

Helen Hutchings, Elizabeth Langley, Glenys Steele

Sector 3; Paul Kendon (Statim journalist)

 2 x Painting's by Stacey Robertson (Artist in Residence)

Gary McClure, Craig McClure, Katie Chance

Tom Gilby-Todd, Mike Gilby Todd, Jess Gilby

Natalie Jones, Rochelle Jones, Helen Hutchings, Danielle Jones

Donna Pfefferle, Deborah Bunyard, Phil Quay, Anne-Marie Wilkinson

The Affordable Art Exhibition is open for the next three weeks, during draw inc.'s opening hours.  Please come along and visit, and support the talented artists we have around us.

Lots of artwork was sold on the opening night and during the weekend, but there is still more for your viewing or purchasing pleasure.

Selected works will be put into the Auction that will be held at the exhibition closing; on Friday 22 July 2011. Silent bids are welcome, so if you cannot make the auction, make sure you put a bid in with the draw inc. committee.

Also, a new sector will be announced and showcased to the public at the exhibition closing event!

Keep your eyes peeled for our Auction posters, we hope to see you soon!

Where it all began...

What started out as an intention to hold an ‘Affordable Art Showcase’  in Hamilton, that could give local graduates and emerging artists the opportunity to exhibit and sell their artworks, has blossomed somewhat over the last few months.

When Deborah Duffield, graduate of Wintec's School of Media Arts, went on a mission to organize this opportunity for artists to sell-off works that they had "laying around in their storage boxes", she didn't expect to find herself becoming the new owner of Hamilton's latest addition to the art gallery industry, draw inc.

After discussing ideas for artists in residence space and this one-off exhibition with Ree Varcoe, from The Hamilton Business Association, Deb was met with an interesting and not-to-be missed opportunity, which she grabbed with both hands.

Her proposal, that highlighted the vibrant environment that art creates, the attraction that people have towards it and the missing number of places for graduates and emerging artists to exhibit within the Hamilton CBD (or Waikato for that matter), grabbed the attention of interested parties.

Deb was offered a prime location on Ward Street that she could utilize for not only the one exhibition she was pushing for, but could maximize the space and create a spot for a series of exhibitions.

After notifying interested artists and graduates of Wintec's School of Media Arts, the committee grew from one to five over a matter of days.

Deborah Duffield (Painting and Sculpture), Anne Challinor (Photography), Craig McClure (Painting and Sculpture) , Rochelle Jones (Communications) and Jack Gatasa-Shaw (Graphic Design) are the passionate and dedicated team behind draw inc.

We are dedicated to opening a gallery that provides opportunities for graduates and emerging artists to network, connect with industry and ultimately showcase artist work in a professional environment.  We have spent our last few months researching, discussing with stakeholders and preparing, to ensure that the upcoming opening will portray just that.

draw inc. has been met with a great response from the local community who see it as a viable opportunity to foster the arts, provide an ongoing attraction to the city centre, and create business opportunities for graduate artists.

The amazing sponsors that have helped this to happen include: Creative Hamilton, Creative New Zealand, Centre Place, Print House Ltd and Wintec.­­