The annual Bartizans Art Expo at Edmund Hillary Retirement Village proved popular over the weekend with more than 320 visitors coming through to get their fix of art.
And there was plenty to choose from with over 1,000 individual pieces filling out the atrium including ceramics, glass, and mosaic works and more than 400 paintings.
It was a relief not just for the art collectors but the village team and organisers too - the re-scheduled event came within a whisker of being postponed again when news of another Covid case in the community came through the day before opening.
Artist John Towers, who organises the event, said: “I could have cried when I heard.
“But fortunately we could go ahead and I’m so glad because the Easter Show got stopped as well.
“That’s why we have got so much art. A lot of these pieces were done during lockdown.”
Sales Advisor Becky Gillanders estimated around $20,000 worth of art was sold, a portion of which will go to this year’s Ryman charity partner, Melanoma NZ.
One happy customer was Village and Lifestyle Coordinator Michelle Forman who bought a ceramic dog ‘Patch’ to add to her growing collection of garden ornaments.