Artist in Residence 2025
Mosaics of Memory explores the relationships that connect us across the sea, considering the social tapestry of materials, bicultural and cross-generational exchange and vessel-making practices that embody deep-time transitions through threads of memory and veins of clay. During Jody Rallah's three-month residency programme, she has connected with Māori, mana whenua, artists, and creatives to respectfully consult and learn about working with materials of the whenua. Jody Rallah is a Yuggera and Biri artist from Magandjin/Brisbane with a multidisciplinary practice rooted in a deep reverence for materials, place, and intergenerational sharing.
IMAGE: Jody Rallah, Foundations– installation view Photo: Joe Ruckli

Sequence addresses the fraught relationship between continuity and rupture in the construction of moments, memories, and identities. It foregrounds the invisible boundaries that exceed visible divisions—those unseen traces where inclusion and exclusion coalesce and fracture.
Situated within these liminal thresholds—where form, interpretation, and belonging are perpetually negotiated—the work destabilises fixed notions of identity, allowing for a fluid, processual unfolding.
IMAGE: Seung Yul Oh Formation_07, 2025  
Presented in partnership with STARKWHITE

Initiated in 2007, the Waiheke Art Gallery biennial Artist in Residence programme provides selected artists with 12 weeks on Waiheke Island to develop their practice, respond to the environment, and engage with artists and the community. International and Aotearoa, New Zealand-based artists have previously been selected, including Michel Tuffery, an Australian painting group led by Euan Macleod and Wanda Gillespie.
IMAGE: Mark Surridge Sand Loop, 2018
Generously supported by Waiheke Local Board and Postage Stamp wines

This exhibition brings together, for the first time, a selection of key photographic works made during and after Dr Fiona Pardington’s time residing on Waiheke Island. It includes her iconic bird, still life and hei tiki series. Pardington uses both the camera and exhibition to reveal and make public that which is often hidden or unseen.

Wonderbird invites the viewer to experience the world of our immediate experience, as it is prior to our thoughts about it; the world in its enigmatic multiplicity and open-endedness. We witness life and metamorphosis in progress—an emotional and imaginative migration toward freedom, unboundedness, and sky.

The Shape of Being and Becoming traces eleven years of sculptural practice, circling back to its origin — a mother carrying a child on her shoulders. This gesture, revisited in a new work, becomes both anchor and compass: a symbol of enduring weight, care, and transformation.

Experience a cornucopia of diverse work across a variety of mediums and practices from current Waiheke Community Art Gallery members.
The 2025 Members Show explores the broad theme of ‘Motu’. What does it mean to you? 
We look forward to seeing your creations in response to this theme.
Ideally small or medium works under 800mm, any subject, any style, any medium, 2D or 3D.

Presented in partnership with Oyster & Moon, artists explore the 2025 Matariki Festival theme Matariki ki te Wai, highlighting the deep connection between Matariki and water. Oyster & Moon is an indigenous - led cultural retail experience where creators of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific Islands share their cultures with the world.

We are so grateful to our long-term gallery sponsors Walker & Hall for the opportunity to host the fundraiser exhibition in their historic Anzac Avenue showroom.

Their substantial support for the gallery includes the Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award which has run for nineteen years. With a premier award of $10,000 it is significant award event in the New Zealand visual arts calendar showcasing work from across Aotearoa.

This exhibition brings together a selection of work from previous Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award finalists and winners and is available to view at Walker & Hall, Anzac showroom, 32 Anzac Ave, Auckland Central from 22 May to 6 June 2025.

Presented by Perpetual Guardian in association with Postage Stamp Wines and the Waiheke Community Art Gallery, the Small Sculpture Prize is a national award for an original free standing or wall sculpture up to 800mm in any direction. The Premiere prize is $5,000, and a Benefactor's Merit Prize of $2,000 and the Church Bay People's Choice Award of $1500.

A selection of paintings spanning 50 years
of practice. “I’ve always painted from my
imagination rather than attempting to copy
reality. I’m interested in colour relationships
and movement.” - Jackie Guthrie

A collaboration with island-based creatives, Understory sheds light on Waiheke’s transformation from a once-barren landscape of sheep farms to the locus of conservation action. The interactive exhibition celebrates decades of dedication by conservation visionaries, practitioners and volunteers through sculpture, printmaking, painting, nature journals, photography and sound. Next to the main gallery, the Understory Regeneration Zone is designed for people to “have a go” at creating nature-inspired works on paper.

This series of prints creating a visual narrative of the crucifixion story. The work is inspired by the overarching idea of Jesus as a common man who lives amongst his people who were earthy, chaotic and angrily rebellious under the dominion of the Roman Empire.

Exploration. Inspiration. Creative Play.
You're welcome to play with the materials in the Understory Regeneration Zone. If you would like to bring a small group together for a FREE guided art program (1-3 hours) including a tour of the Understory show, please contact Monica: monica.a.peters@gmail.com 

The exhibition showcases established artists working with younger generations to pass on knowledge of their Toi arts disciplines. 

A gorgeous selection of works from John Penman, Gary Nash and Hoglund Art Glass.

Beautiful new works from Helen Keen, Sonja Drake, Tracey Sullivan, and Hannah Maurice.

This year we're working on a digital approach to the Waiheke Art Map, there are so many artists on the island now, this is truly and island of Art which is fantastic!

The Digital Art Map will evolve over the year so come along and view works from some of the artist involved and plan your studio tour.

Be sure to Save the Date for the return of the Open Studio Weekend where many of the artist's on the island will throw open their doors with a festive, fun and creative Long weekend over Kings Birthday 31 May - 2 June! Can't wait!

Evan Woodruffe's new suite of works shimmer with light, as agile brush-marks dance over 2D and 3D surfaces. 
Colours are breathed into position, their vocabulary shifting from excited cries to hushed quiet, creating dynamic symphonies of colour, movement, emotion and intellect.

Russell Jackson's enamel paint on board works celebrate birds, both native and introduced species such as finches imported during the late 1800's on the SS Mermaid.
Jane Simcock's oil on canvas still life works reflect their subject matter drawn from the tools of the studio and from her collection of curios and memorabilia. 

Developed in Aotearoa New Zealand, Squiggla is a hands-on creative visual thinking programme. Bring the youngsters, get creative and come and explore in the Gallery space during January.

THE SEA INSIDE HER is an exhibition of paintings, poetry and a short film. It is an immersive experience about the fragility of staying in control of oneself. The work is a playful contemplation of Western society’s relationship with nature – how we are affected by nature and our influence on it, while holding onto the idea that we are somehow separate. This concept was initiated and produced by Pākehā and Waiheke artist and filmmaker Alyx Duncan and writer Michele Powles, in collaboration with editor Luka Turjak.

With a career spanning over 50 years Bronwynne Cornish is one of New Zealand's best known ceramic artists with works held in major museums and galleries.

Launched by the Eden Arts Trust in 2011, this annual award presents the very best student works from Elam, Unitec, AUT and Whitecliffe in a single exhibition, awarding prizes to selected students.

The Catherine Mitchell Life Drawing Group is an active untutored drawing group which has been running for over 30 years. The group fosters a determined drive for excellence alongside a generous sharing of ideas, materials and techniques. Past members included some notable artists such as Jan Nigro whose iconic Waiheke paintings are on display in the foyer of the Gallery. 

The Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award 2024 is proudly sponsored by Walker & Hall in association with the Waiheke Community Art Gallery.
This is a National Award for two dimensional works in any medium and has a Prize of $10,000 as the Premier Award.
The Zinni Douglas Merit Award for a Waiheke artist - $1000
Michael Evans Award for a figurative Work - $1000
Gordon Harris Award - $500 voucher
Image: Sonja Drake - Drawn in Sediment

‘Standing Place is inspired by the concept of tūrangawaewae. For me tūrangawaewae encompasses a sense of place, of where we come from, our sense of inner space and how we perceive through the lenses of our lives lived and how everything connects- the places that are important to us, the people that have shaped us, the ancestors that made choices to uproot and to put down roots.' - Leila Lees