5 days ago
Peripheral Views: Marsden's Artist In Residence Exhibition Opens At Te Auaha
After six inspiring weeks at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, award-winning artist Connah Podmore concludes her time as the 2025 Artist in Residence with a collaborative exhibition, Peripheral Views, at Te Auaha from 19 – 29 June.
Established in 1999, Marsden's Artist in Residence programme invites professional artists to work closely with students, building on a legacy of artistic excellence and creative exchange. This year, Connah Podmore – whose poetic drawing practice explores the depth found in everyday moments – shared her distinctive approach to composition, mark-making and process with Marsden's Visual Art students.
Throughout the residency, students were encouraged to look beyond the obvious, to engage with subtle shifts of light and shadow, and to work in reverse – removing rather than adding – to build their images. Students learned to see the familiar with new eyes.
'I enjoyed learning about Connah's story and hearing the meaning behind her work,' said Olive, Year 10. 'I found shading the black canvas with a malleable rubber challenging, but I learnt how to use charcoal to create light, shadow, and monochrome depth.'
Pina, Year 10 added, 'It was fascinating that instead of working from light to dark, we worked from dark to light. I learned to play with light and shadows, and to find ways to add interest to my work.'
'I loved creating a charcoal piece with Connah,' said Maddie, also in Year 10. 'Working with charcoal was a new concept to me. We took photos of shadows and recreated them using malleable rubbers to bring out the light. Connah was so inspiring and talented.'
Sudhiksha in Year 10 reflected, 'It was really fun to turn a blank sheet of paper into art using only charcoal and a malleable eraser. I enjoyed going out to take photos and exploring lighting in interesting ways – turning those photos into artwork was really cool.'
Kathryn Cotter, Head of Visual Art at Marsden, said the experience had a powerful impact on students:
'Connah brings a new way of viewing and interpreting familiar environments, which has really resonated with our students. Her thoughtful and experimental approach encouraged them to slow down, to observe more carefully, and to find creative depth in what they might otherwise overlook. We were incredibly privileged to have an artist of Connah's calibre in residence – her generosity in sharing her practice and process made this a truly inspiring and transformative opportunity.'
The residency extended beyond Marsden, with Connah also leading a creative workshop for local primary school students on 9 May. Titled A Window on the World, the session encouraged young artists to explore texture and layering using found objects, foliage, talcum powder and water to create expressive prints. Each student selected a favourite to frame within a custom paper 'window,' giving their work a sense of perspective and place. They then had fun cutting up and collaging their remaining monoprints to create wonderful new compositions. It was a fun, hands-on introduction to creative thinking and visual storytelling.
The upcoming exhibition, Peripheral Views, invites audiences to meditate on the gentle details often glanced over and discover layers of complexity in the seemingly simple. Drawing on the dispersion of light, the fleeting nature of vision, and the subtle distance between observer and object, Connah and students of Marsden present work that explores a shifting from subject to sensation.
Exhibition details:
Te Auaha Gallery, 65 Dixon Street, Wellington
19–29 June
Monday–Friday 8.30am–6.00pm | Weekends 10.00am–3.00pm
Artworks are available for purchase
Marsden is proud to support and nurture creative potential through its Artist in Residence programme. Connah's time at Marsden has been both inspirational and enriching for students, staff, and the wider school community.
