Waikato Report march-may 2026
Vicki Jones
Waikato printmakers meet socially for morning tea every two months from March to November. Dates for 2026: March 14, May 9, July 11, September 12, November 14. If you are in the Waikato on any of those days you are very welcome to join us. Just contact the local PCANZ representative, Vicki Jones, for more info.
Print events over the summer have included a two-day cyanotype workshop in January tutored by Lynn Taylor, in the Waikato Society of Arts print studio, Hamilton. Lynn had spent a week-long residency developing a series of ‘sketches’ using various cyanotype techniques and gradually filled the Ruth Davey Gallery at Artspost with her work. She also included work done by workshop participants. The ‘Drawing with Light’ exhibition ran from 20 January - 4 February.
Artspost also hosted Palimpsest by Janice Meadows, 5-14 February. Janice has been an important contributor to the WSA print group for quite some time and is a WSA Life Member. In this exhibition she revisited her prints to discover what might lie beneath.
Palimpsest, screen print, ca 1968, by Janice Meadows.
Sybille Schlumbom’s exhibition, ‘Flight Pattern’ ran from 20 January – 18 February at the Artspost gallery. Her exhibition was movement-based, tracing the passage of time through places traversed, recording her flight patterns. It also had print elements.
Current exhibitions at Arts Post
18 February - 14 March: Old Stamping Grounds by Geoff McGowan
The phrase "old stamping ground" refers to a familiar place or area from one's past. It originally alluded to animals like deer or elephants returning to a place and "stamping" the ground to make a comfortable spot for resting.
But don't take this title literally - it's just a collection of words with some connection to most of the prints in this exhibition. I've been to most of the depicted places, but it is the objects that are more familiar; there are actual stamps and some prints done in the style of old engraved stamps. There are prints inspired by old things, and there are elephants! And, closest to the title, one print shows an old camping ground that we used to spend Christmas at, in the early 1970's.
18 February - 14 March: Created Collected Torn Cut = Collage, by Joanne Mahoney
This exhibition brings together a series of works that celebrate the process of collage — creating something new from pieces of the past. Using paint, print, and paper, Joanne Mahoney combines watercolour, acrylic, oil and cold wax medium, along with layers of collage and printmaking techniques.
Each artwork builds on collected materials, cut or torn, then reassembled to form fresh compositions full of texture and depth.
Upcoming
NZPPA – New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Awards 2026
28 February - 14 March
This year there are 65 finalists, some of whom are Waikato printmakers ☺. There were 350 artists who submitted entries for the 2026 NZPPA, so well done if you made it to the finalist list. ☺. The opening event will be on Saturday 28th February 2026 at 5.00pm, at the Artspost, Victoria Street, Hamilton. All are welcome. The exhibition will run until March 14th, so it should still be available for viewing during our March social gathering ☺
The judges’ floor talks will be 1st March at 10:30 am. The Awards wouldn’t happen without the generous support of the sponsors: Caiger Charitable Trust, Vision Complete Earthworks, Print Council Aotearoa NZ (PCANZ), CFO Partner-Rachael Hayton and Ruth and Lester Davey bequest. Thankyou ☺