29/01/2026
This is something of a statement of intent, partially because it is the first opportunity I've had of late to gather my thoughts, and respond to both the overwhelming support and the questions some of you have about my plans regarding future proofing my 'installation' and community centre that the gallery has become. (I will continue with writing it every day or two as it is too much to pack into one post, so if you have more questions add them in the comments!)
Firstly and categorically, I do not see myself as some sort of hero or 'jewel in the crown' of this Precinct and town. I am a feminist as you probably know. Feminism is not about ruling, leading, securing and hoarding wealth, and dominating the narrative. That modus operandi is destroying our species! The important feminine principles are community, collaboration, creativity, social interaction, and a bit of romance, magic and mystery to enliven our imaginations. The Patriarchal economic growth model is at odds with our survival as a species. It protects some and exploits most, and requires us 'bottom feeders' to be scrapping amongst ourselves, and too busy struggling to survive to think about any of this. We need desperately to think beyond our needs in terms of strictly economic measures and benchmarks. Waitaki MP Miles Anderson's post today (shared by Oamaru TODAY) is a very good example of this.
Initially an artists' collective I set up enabled us to secure the gallery space in 2002 (after the Trust had built the stairwell as the stairs at the other end of Smith's store have a gradient that is too steep for public access.) It was very much the same model as Crafted... Artisans sharing the costs and selling their 'products,' a percentage of which goes towards rent and overheads.
As time went on most of the artists moved on, left town or retreated to their own studios. It was never easy in those days to make it very financially viable. There was minimal foot traffic, very few other businesses and my husband Jeff and I were mostly selling our collaborative artworks elsewhere in the country to prop up the gallery costs. We made one final wearable art piece together and entered it into the ex winners and judges section. It became apparent that making such works was a labour of love due to the massive time input and vast unlikelihood of them ever actually selling....so we had to pivot to more commercial 'art-world' realities and create for the (at the time booming) art market. We did this very successfully and I've never had more disposable income ever. We even managed to spend three months overseas checking out galleries and art marvels... The only time we ever went out of NZ! I was working from my studio above Michael's bindery, the gallery was staffed on a roster basis and I was mostly away out of town teaching workshops, having exhibitions and doing pretty well in the scheme of things.
The crash of 2008 really affected the arts in NZ and more than half of Auckland's dealer galleries folded including the one I showed at (and the Temple gallery in Dunedin also.) I had produced an enormous amount of work that it was becoming increasingly difficult to sell... A good dealer is a necessity when you are a neurodivergent creative who is not really in touch with the business world at all. Michelle of The Artist's Room saved my bacon and enabled my gallery to continue by selling my work in hers!
By 2012 the gallery had dwindled to two of us, and it thus became necessary to create something different with the space, as more of an installation/museum/venue/marvel and my ideas changed about valuing this as opposed to just being essentially a commercial artist. I made more ephemera to sell to cover basic costs: cards, prints, jewellery, stationery, small original works, etc and figured out ways to live much leaner in order to survive.
At the same time the response to the gallery really heightened. People were literally delighted to find it, and things changed in terms of my appreciation of the importance of maintaining it's presence... Pretty much at the expense of any real financial security!
And fast forward to now this is more relevant than ever. I can't pay increasing costs to stay here. Quite the opposite. The 'tough ti***es' comment was in response to asserting the reality that because there are 6 adjacent ground floor businesses all selling original NZ made art and craft, I am getting less new foot traffic and less turnover, so the last thing I can commit to is endlessly rising rental costs! The Trust has to decide if their mission statement is to be interpreted strictly as 'thou must be financially successful to engender any kind of success for the Precinct and town'
("The Trust serves as landlord to a valued group of tenants whose diverse businesses and events contribute to making the precinct a vibrant and unique destination.")
Anyway please help with the givealittle, even if it's only a tiny contribution. I need the number of supporters to indicate that you value the place and what it offers. And somehow I need to raise enough money to build the cheapest possible shed to safely store my stuff in the event they evict me in a few months, because I can't promise to pay any more than I do currently. I know all my work will be worth more when I'm dead and I'd like that legacy to support some kind of arts initiative (or maybe just the native birds of Stewart Island!)
Please click below to assist... Many thanks x
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/for-donna-and-the-grainstore-gallery?fbclid=PAT01DUAPodT9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAacAcjN_vA332uCizmVie4MrFp08mKdXnjw8DXvxNJTG8n29RD7a5hLx7FcFEQ_aem_nE2oy4_7P7-7TOdi5c7BSw
❤️
