Nelson artist Michael MacMillian with one of his pieces at the Nelson Art Expo over the weekend. Photo: Alicia Burrow.

Art expo the ‘finest yet’

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The third annual Art Expo Nelson brought some of the best artisans out into one space, and the public responded by turning out in their thousands.

Project manager Nic Foster says the quality of the work continues to reach new highs, and local attendee Maxine McNabb, agrees. “The talent has risen every year,” she says.

From etchings to oils, and sculpture to fabrics, the different mediums made for an eclectic collection of the stunning talents.

Contributor Jeff Connell says he tries to portray creativity when working on a new piece. “[I’m] always looking at light and landscape to have convincing spaces… a painting you can look into and, in your mind’s eye, move around inside it.”

And as part of her creative process, Nelson artist Ruth Vaega says she spent hours observing a robin for one of her etchings.

Many local art enthusiasts found that a valuable highlight of the expo has been the opportunity to speak one-on-one with the creators of the work, to find out more about the story behind each piece.

Nic Foster, project manager of the expo, says he is “stoked” with how the weekend unfolded, with 6200 people through the door and art sales up 15 per cent on last year.