On Saturday 19 November, the 4th sculpture exhibition at Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens will open with an afternoon of music, entertainment and refreshments, and a chance to be the first to view these exciting new sculptural works.

Set against the backdrop of the Kaipara Harbour, visitors can view 60 inspiring sculptural works as they walk the winding 1km trail through a secluded valley containing a slice of almost every type of iconic New Zealand landscape: manicured lawns, citrus orchards, grassy slopes, regenerating bush, old farm fences, pine forest, potagers, and ponds. 

Sculptural works made from wood, stone, recycled materials, clay, steel and  plastic by contemporary New Zealand artists have been selected and developed for each context to make mini-galleries within the valley. 

Works are revealed as the path twists and turns, sculptures are seen from vantage points where picnic spots and seating invite visitors to rest and contemplate the art.

Artists whose work features in the 2012 exhibition include Anna Korver, Christian Nicolson, Jin Ling, Matthew Williams, Rose Petterson, Darryl Fagence, Sally Lush and Trish Clarke.

Sue Hill and Karleen Winters are coordinating a collaborative installation project The Dark Souls of Women, which explores the unshared dark thoughts and spaces of 20 invited women friends and artists. Each has been given an Agee preserving jar to fill with their own interpretation of  The Dark Souls of Women.

On a lighter note, each year we invite the art departments of different schools to create installation works for us, and this year children from Pinehurst Junior College have been busy creating a collaborative artwork, which will be installed in the cave-like interior of a weeping willow tree.

The exhibition will open on Saturday 19 November at 3pm for a ticket-only event featuring live music, entertainment and refreshments.

The exhibition is on show for 11 months, providing the opportunity for return visits to view the sculptures as the seasons change.