Guest Artist

Mark Graver RE

Mark Graver RE
Guest Artist Printmaking

Mark Graver RE is an award-winning artist printmaker based at Wharepuke in Kerikeri.  Originally from the UK he studied at Leeds Polytechnic (B.A. Hons Fine Art 1985-88) and Camberwell College of Arts, London (MA Printmaking 1994-95).

Moving to NZ in 2003 he established the Wharepuke Print Studio in 2005, Art at Wharepuke gallery, 2009, and the Wharepuke Sculpture Park, 2015.

He is author of Non-Toxic Printmaking (2011, London, A&C Black), has sat on printmaking selection panels in China, Bulgaria and NZ and curated international print projects, exhibitions and symposiums in the UK and Australia.

He is a full member of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE).  Based at the Bankside Gallery, London, there are only ever 100 full RE fellows in the world at any one time.  He works with acrylic resist etching, digital printmaking, video and sound.

Mark's work is held in public collections including the V&A Museum, London, The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford UK, and in the USA, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and NZ.

Mark will be exhibiting at Stop 35 in the KOAST Trail Guide, during KOAST 2025

Helen Beech

Helen Beech
Guest Artist

Helen Beech is the feature artist in No 1 Parnell  Street Front Gallery during KOAST - Tai Tokerau Art Trail. Living in Kawakawa and teaching part-time at a local school, she draws inspiration from the remarkable local landscape and encourages her students to explore their creativity.

"My work stems from a deep connection to the natural landscapes of Aotearoa New Zealand. Through my art, I translate the essence of the
environment—its birds, trees, and diverse terrains—into visual experiences that resonate emotionally. I believe art can serve as a bridge, reconnecting viewers with the wonder and beauty of the natural world and evoking memories of places they have visited. Each piece is
both a celebration and a meditation, inviting the viewer to pause, reflect, and experience gratitude for our environment."

Candy Clarke

Candy Clarke
Guest Artist Painting

Candy Clarke grew up in Kerikeri and is now based in Nelson, where she has developed a highly recognisable practice painting in reverse on Perspex.

What began as an accident over twenty years ago has evolved into a refined technique that plays with light, reflection, and depth. By working backwards on clear acrylic sheets, she achieves a luminous effect that makes her colours sing and her imagery feel animated from beneath the surface.

Her paintings move easily between abstraction and narrative. Words and phrases slip into her compositions - sometimes as quiet asides, sometimes as bold graphic statements. Candy draws on the language that surrounds her - everyday expressions, fragments of songs, overheard conversations, even technology-driven catchphrases. These become part of her visual language, adding layers of meaning and humour.

Playfulness is central to her work. Through bold colour, sharp design elements and a sly sense of irony, she reflects on contemporary life and gently pokes fun at the quirks of human behaviour. The result is art that is bright, witty and impossible to ignore.

Candy is a graduate of the Dunedin School of Art, where she majored in printmaking and also studied Graphic Design at NMIT in Nelson.

Candy will be exhibiting at stop 37 in the 2025 KOAST Trail Guide.