TONI EVANS
Three emerging artists have spent the past eight weeks immersed in creativity at Zappekin's latest Get Zapped residency programme, culminating in an exhibition now open to the public.
Based in a former apple-packing shed on Wood Loop, Mariri, Zappekin Artists & Allies provides working studios and exhibition space.
For resident artists Shelby Rusbatch, Hayden Gundry and Robyn Glendinning, the experience has brought discoveries about their own creative processes.
Richmond artist Shelby Rusbatch describes the residency as a whirlwind eight weeks, a "good" kind of crazy. Her mixed-media creations incorporate pom-poms, glitter and melting beads – materials that evoke childhood nostalgia and happiness.
Shelby graduated last year with a Bachelor of Art and says she is delighted by the opportunities already coming her way.
"I worried that pursuing a career in art might not be the secure route to go down, but I'm glad I took the risk and just went for it."
Balancing her work as a librarian with her developing artistic career, Shelby says the residency's dedicated creative space and deadline-driven environment pushed her through tiredness and self-doubt, significantly boosting her productivity with four works created.
"Honestly, I'm surprised how much I've got done. I can usually work on a piece for a month."
For Hayden Gundry, the residency offered the chance to fully immerse himself in the artistic life he has been working towards.
A University of Canterbury fine arts graduate specialising in printmaking, Hayden combines woodcut, painting and sculpture in his practice.
Creating art, he says, is as essential as breathing, eating and sleeping. Rather than using art as an escape from everyday life, he wants making art to be his everyday reality.
Previously working from a bedroom, and then a garage, Hayden relished the dedicated studio space as well as the creative company he had long been feeling starved of.
He also experimented with leaving his phone behind during the residency. Initially feeling 'as though part of his brain was missing', he gradually experienced greater mental clarity and an extraordinary flow of ideas.
Another discovery was the angle grinder, a powerful, unpredictable tool that challenged his preference for precise control and opened new creative possibilities.
Robyn Glendinning, who studied at Dundee University in Scotland, has worked as a commercial illustrator for ten years.
Working with gouache and acrylic on salvaged timber alongside a self-created soundscape, Robyn appreciated the freedom to create purely for herself.
The spacious studio allowed her to experiment with larger, messier and noisier processes than she would attempt at home.
She also valued the supportive environment and regular check-ins, which helped her feel heard and encouraged.
Most importantly, Robyn says the residency taught her to trust herself and her creative process. Her work invites visitors to sit and become immersed in the art, experiencing it through both sight and sound using headphones.
The residency programme was run by a team of volunteer artists known as the Zappekin Collective, with contribution by Tasman Creative Communities.
The Get Zapped exhibition is open daily from 10am to 4pm until Sunday, 15 November. Zappekin's summer season opens Sunday, 6 December, at 2pm, with the gallery open daily from 10am to 4pm through March.
