North Chatton farmer Jono Gardyne is challenging people to make a sculpture about dinner plate size using cutlery and/or wire.
The guest artist at this year’s Waikaka Arts and Crafts Exhibition, Gardyne has the task of setting the challenge for a competition which community members can take part in.
The sculptures will be displayed among the other items in the exhibition.
Gardyne, who makes sculptures out of old machinery parts, said he was a little surprised to be asked to be this year’s guest artist.
‘‘I don’t really see myself as an artist.
‘‘I’m just a farmer.’’
He had entered his sculptures in the exhibition for the past five or six years.
‘‘I guess that makes you an artist.’’
He was busy finishing his own items for the exhibition.
While cutlery and/or wire had to be part of the sculpture, those were not the only materials that could be used, he said.
There were many possible ways cutlery and wire could be used.
‘‘People could use wire to make a two-dimensional picture, or you can do a spoon man sculpture, or a hedgehog made out of forks or fantails made out of spoons.
‘‘You have to have wire and/ or cutlery at some point of it.’’
Exhibition secretary Frances Calvert said Gardyne was unlike previous guest artists because he did not make a living from the objects he made.
‘‘He does art because he does not like seeing scrap lying around and he’s very good at visualising.’’
However, his work was popular.
‘‘Jono now gets commissions.’’
Preparations for the exhibition were going well, and more than 80 artists were booked in.
Many of those had not exhibited at Waikaka before.
‘‘That’s quite exciting,’’ Mr Calvert said.
The Waikaka Arts and Crafts Exhibition will be held in the town’s Centennial Hall from November 11-17. The exhibition is open daily from 1 pm to 5pm, apart from a late night on Wednesday.
