SOLACE: Pathways of Loss, Memory and Renewal
SOLACE is a collaborative art exhibition exploring how we experience loss, carry our memories, and find pathways towards renewal through visual art and storytelling.
Curated by Jane Ross, SOLACE brings together artists and storytellers with strong connections to Wairarapa, sharing works and stories that explore our experiences of loss, the memories we carry and the possibilities of renewal.
The exhibition opens on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2027, at Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art & History in Masterton.
Our Artists:
Esther Bunning
Lisa Ward Ross
Sharisse Eberlein
Vincent Ward ONZM
Dame Robin White DNZM (Ngāti Awa)
Sam Te Tau (Rangitāne o Wairarapa)
Carl Rongonui (Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Ngāti Ruanui)
Holly Jackson (Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Our Storytellers:
Jane Ross, Esther Bunning, Gareth Winter, Holly Jackson, Lisa Ward-Ross, Dame Robin White. Vincent Ward, Catherine Cooper, Jonas Koukl, Sam Te Tau, and Carl Rongonui
SOLACE | ARATOI 2027
Artist Spotlight
Lisa Ward-Ross
Nelson-based sculptor Lisa Ward-Ross has been honing her skills with clay since 2005. She was introduced to the medium by a member of the Manawatū Pottery Society while living in Palmerston North and was immediately drawn to the tactile nature of clay. She has been intrigued by the medium ever since.
The down-to-earth, can-do attitude of the clay community, which has continued since the heyday of the 1970s studio potters, combined with a willingness to share knowledge and techniques, continues to challenge and inspire her. The lifelong friendships she has made through clay enrich her life, both physically and spiritually.
Lisa finds making art a meditative experience. She enjoys clay’s affinity with Mother Earth and the elemental forces of earth, fire, air and water. Creating with clay enables her to enter a place of peace, harmony and balance. Her forms, both functional and sculptural, are made to be touched.
The pieces in SOLACE have been created in response to the passing of Lisa’s father. As a spiritual medium, she sees physical death not as a final goodbye, but as a transition to another state of being, part of the endless dance of existence.
Lisa’s beliefs have inspired works that explore the eternal essence and interconnectedness of people. She hopes they encourage viewers to connect with their own divine spark and the great stillness within.