Building on this success, an art promotional trust was formed in the area in 1993. It has 230 members from many different art forms; not all can be listed here, but the trust has produced an excellent book called Nelson Art in its Own Place – a piece of artwork itself – which lists the artists in categories, such as jewellery, glass, textiles, woodwork, clothing and ceramics.
Among them are some well-known talents such as painters Jane Evans, Margaret Rowling, Brian C Strong and Princess Hart. Among the sculptors are consummate practitioners like Anne Rush and Christine Boswijk. You can buy the book at the i-Site and local book stores.
If you have been to Nelson and have not seen at least some of the artwork generated there, you haven’t really been to Nelson.
Galleries
There are several good galleries. Best known and respected is the Suter Gallery on Bridge Street, named in memory of the man who opened it in 1899. Back then it was only the third art gallery to open in New Zealand. In some ways it was also the harbinger of Nelson’s prolific art culture. Bishop Suter once wrote: “A bad drawing is a kind of sin”, demonstrating his belief that culture, even in a far off colony, was important for its progress.
Other galleries of note are the South Street Gallery on Nile Street which has an excellent collection of contemporary and tradition ceramics, and the stylish Red which is housed in one of Nelson’s oldest buildings and has a lively exhibition programme.
Market day
Every Saturday, a lot of the divergent talent of Nelson gathers in Montgomery Square in the centre of the city to try their luck at the market. I am a highly developed market connoisseur and to me the Nelson Market is one of the most exuberant in the country.
I go, not just to look at the coloured socks and outlandish hats and clothes, the hand-crafted possum slippers, crystal mobiles, jewellery, animal doorstops, baby bibs and ancient essences. Nor do I go just to taste the mussels and whitebait fritters or to eat the cheeses, breads, vegie pies, gluten free salami and spiced donuts. Every time I am in Nelson, I go there to hear what the latest buskers are up to and to have a look at the designer blades that Ross Johnston, knifemaker extraordinaire, has turned out in his Blackbird Valley Forge, and I go to one of the massage tents for a bit of slap and tickle. But mostly I go to the market because there is an essential ‘Nelsonness’ about the gathering: the ingenious creations, the tolerance of the quirky and curious, the vendor’s spirit of generosity and the good humour of the crowd.
Boulder Bank
Look to the sea from a vantage point above the city and you will see the long sheltering arm of rock and stone which forms the city’s natural breakwater, known as Boulder Bank. It is 13kms long and around 240m wide at low tide. Its natural ending was once the island known as Haulashore, but in 1960, a passageway known locally as The Cut, was created to allow safer access to the port for large ships.
The Boulder Bank is a wild spot. Two years ago, around 900 hectares just north of the rocks was set aside as a marine reserve and this area attracts snorkellers and divers. The lighthouse you see was the second to be erected in New Zealand and now has a historic rating.
History retained
Nelson has a lot of visible colonial history, but perhaps the best preserved precinct is the group of cottages in South Street, which date from the late 19th century. Many of these cute little houses have now been turned into accommodation, but they are worth a look from the outside.
On Trafalger Street are two remarkable old colonial houses – Fairfield and Melrose. The Melrose House has several heritage trees in its beautifully laid out garden. Cross the road and you’ll find yourself in Fairfield Park, which is not only a lovely old garden to walk in, but partly comprises a cemetery where you can read the names of some of the very first families to settle in Nelson.
Hallowell Cemetery (1844-1885) is even older as it was used for Maori burials before Europeans arrived. Then the New Zealand Company had set aside two roods and 30 perches for a gaol and cemetery. The infamous Maungatapu murderers are buried there, but outside the walls, as their crimes were considered too heinous to allow them resting places on hallowed ground. There’s not much to see today, but the names and history related on a billboard at the site are interesting.
Founders Heritage Park is also a favourite with both locals and visitors. It is built on Atawhai Drive on five hectares of reserve land and comprises relocated buildings from early Nelson. The entry windmill, which can be seen from the road, is a replica of the original which stood in central Nelson. In the village is the church, bank, bakery, printer fire station, cottage hospital, garage, railway station, livery, legal office and a dentist surgery. Several businesses still operate out of Founders, including New Zealand’s first certified organic brewery.
