We transformed a building! The Selwyn Place project came together with an incredible team of cleaners, planters, artist, plant-donators, business-owners, painters and, most importantly, a property owner who could see the value of a spruce-up! It all started in Spring Clean 2024, when we gathered some of the tenants along Selwyn Place joining in the gardening […]
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It’s not often we get to clean a painting with a mop! ArtWalk has been up for nearly five years, so the artworks needed a bit of a refresh. This was done across a week, first with staff and volunteers from the Suter Art Gallery cleaning all the ones at street level, and then, with
It was a wonderful occasion at the third Shared Communities Pop-Up Multicultural Market, on Saturday 18 October, from 3.30-8.00pm at the top of Trafalgar St. Spring Clean Whakatū Nelson threw its support behind the market because there’s no better way to celebrate a spring clean than for everyone to come together for great food, and
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Allison TuckwellCreation Story: Dog of Wonderacrylic, 2025 A dog looks on in wonder at the creation of a universe. You can see more of Allison’s work on instagram. I’ve been making art for most of my life. I’ve recently arrived in Nelson after living overseas for 20 years. I currently utilise the studio space at
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In the 2025 Spring Clean, we had a number of businesses and organisations step up and do great things! There’s some examples below of what’s already happening this year: And here’s a few things that happened in 2024 – just for inspiration:
What can we do as an innercity business? Read More »
It’s not rocket science – we all know that little actions can have a big impact. A clean, vibrant city starts with each of us noticing and caring for the spaces we share. Just by picking up rubbish and disposing of it responsibly, we help protect the beauty and integrity of our community. Small actions,
What can I do? Just me! Read More »
Consider making a donation. Think of the city as a an outdoor art gallery, with heaps of potential for artworks on every scale. Make/Shift Spaces is a non-for-profit organisation that has an ever-growing network of Nelson/Tasman artists. Your financial contribution will help make our city vibrate with original artworks and creativity. In 2024, NEL cleaned
Want to help but don’t have the time? Read More »
Hey – are you a property owner with graffiti giving you a headache? We can help! Russell at Make/Shift Spaces is an absolute whizz at matching colours to the exisiting surface. He can make that graffiti magically disappear in no time at all. Make/Shift Spaces will invoice you for our efforts at a reasonable rate.
Karolina SerranoNelsonRhythms of Barranquillamixed media on canvas, 2022 Blush Reverieacrylic on canvas, 2023 Butterflies in Bloommixed media on canvas, 2023 You can see more of Karolina’s art on facebook and instagram. This series celebrates inner strength, cultural identity, and the many forms of beauty around us. Each painting invites us to look beyond the surface, to feel
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Audrey AndersonNelsonHello Citygraffiti ink on canvas, 2023 You can see more of Audrey’s work on her website and on Instagram.You can also see Audrey’s work at Coolstore Gallery in Mapua. I find inspiration in the simplicity of everyday life. By being present in the world around me, stories naturally unfold, leading me to new ways
Emily NarbeyNgā Rau o Aotearoa (Leaves of Aotearoa)acrylic paint, 2025 Emily Narbey has given us a little patch of nature in the innercity. I’m not sure where the inspiration for this work came from… back in 2022 my dad’s cancer was diagnosed as terminal and I guess as a kind of parting gift he got
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Rachel Promthat’s tasty creation has the perfect home in Nelson’s own ‘eat street’. Rachel has painted a delectable dish of Tom Yum noodle soup, as it is one of Thailand’s most popular dishes. The artwork is not just about Thailand’s signature dish, but it also reflects Thai identity. My inspiration for this artwork is that I
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Tim CuffNelsonKorowaiphotograph, 2008 You can see lots of Tim’s work at www.nelsoncreative.co.nz This was a picture shot a few years ago for a magazine piece about one of Ngāti Koata’s korowai. Although the cloak is beautiful in its entirety, I liked the drama of zooming in tightly on the richly-coloured feathers. Tim Cuff established himself
Being a part of this project was great. I had a lot of fun drawing and painting it. It was a bit challenging because of the bumps on the power box but I made it work. Patience is the key! Originally from Colombia, David George Garcia came to New Zealand about ten years ago for
Mark Fa’avaeNelsonVa’a-tele (the big canoe)acrylic paint, 2025 Mark Fa’avae is a Samoan-born Nelson artist who has exhibited locally and nationally. Va’a-tele are large, traditional Samoan seagoing vessels, made of two canoes lashed together. ArtBoxes is a joint project with Arts Council Nelson.Huge thanks to NEL (Nelson Electricity Limited) for supporting our artists to transform their boxes! And thanks too,
Samara Davis Ngati Koata, Ngati Toa Rangatira, Ngati Kuia, Ngati Tama, Ngati Rarua, Te Atiawa Samara is a multi-media artist based in Whakatū who pushes the envelope of tradition in her work, exploring themes of identity, biculturalism, colonisation, connection and disconnection. Her intricately made objects present the marae and the whāriki (woven mat) as places for
Samara Davis Ngati Koata, Ngati Toa Rangatira, Ngati Kuia, Ngati Tama, Ngati Rarua, Te AtiawaKoha nga Kupuacrylic paint on board, 2022 Kai I ngā Ora To feed life or feed from life A reciprocal relationship and slogan that came from a group exhibition at Refinery ArtSpace, Kai I ngā Ora, which was a response to the housing crisis.
Alicia RochaMi amigo Axolotlacrylic paint, 2025 You can see more of Alicia’s art on Instagram. I believe art can deepen our understanding of ourselves and others, makes us heal and subsequently the world we live in. My paintings are a reflection of my inner landscape where creatures go through a transmutation to become a friendly totem
Richard SellarsRollerdoor Muralacrylic paint, 2024 As part of Spring Clean Whakatū Nelson, ArtHouse Architects commissioned Richard Sellars to create a mural that would transform their laneway. The roller door was looking pretty manky before Richard took it from graffiti to oh-so-cool! It’s a stunner! Richard Sellars is a Nelson-based artist and architect. Read a great
Amy AdamsFlamboyant Flowersacrylic paint, 2025 “This floral design captures Nelson’s vibrant and artistic spirit, reflecting the joyful atmosphere of our community.” Amy Adams is an artist whose creative journey began in childhood, evolving from crafting miniature doll worlds to creating large-scale paintings and mixed media pieces. This lifelong passion has shaped her artistic vision and
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Shared CommunitiesArtWallacrylic on board, 2025 In early 2025 Shared Communities decorated a wall along Nile St. featuring the word “Thank You” in almost 50 languages. In early 2026, the project was moved to the wall that wraps around the Farmers’ Market at 23 Halifax St, near Nelson Library. Projects like this bring volunteers together, fostering
Karolina SerranoNelsonBehind the Red Curtainacrylic paint on metal, 2024 Follow Karolina on Facebook and Instagram. Inspired by the transformative power of the performing arts, this work celebrates the hidden worlds behind the red curtain. Through theatrical symbols—masks, sheet music, flowers—it pays tribute to the stories, emotions, and dreams that live within every character and every
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Barbara FrankletNelsonPecking Order2024, mixed media (door)The Sun King2024, mixed media (wall) Click here to see more of Barbara’s work, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. You can also visit Barbara at her Mockingbird Studio at 6 Nile Street Nelson. Check her website to contact her beforehand. Mockingbird Studio in sunny Nelson is the home to artist Barbara Franklet. Working in a variety
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ArtWorks around Whakatū Nelson is a companion project to ArtWalk and ArtDoors. ArtWorks are original artworks around the city, on walls, electrical boxes, roller doors and other surfaces that might come available, using local artists.ArtWalk takes artworks from the Suter Art Gallery and reproduces them at a large-scale for walls around the city.ArtDoors is a series of reproduced contemporary artworks
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ArtDoors Whakatū/Nelson is an aspirational project that aims to transform around 100 of the city’s doors over a two-year period. This project connects business and property owners with local makers and creators whose artwork will transform tired or plain-looking doors and windows, adding a splash of colour and optimism to our city streets. Building on the
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Robin SlowTakakaKanikaniacrylic on stretched canvas, 2022 Kanikani – the dancing manu creating the torino. I am influenced by the area, the people, the natural resources (and the protection of them), the histories and stories that go to make Mohua (Golden Bay) a special place. Robin Slow Robin Slow was born in Blenheim Wairau and trained
Fleur WoodsUpper MoutereDaisy, Daisy2018, paint, pencil & ink on paperClick here to see more of Fleur’s work, and to contact her direct. Follow Fleur on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest Fleur creates lush works from paint and ink, as well as hand-stitched embroidery art. Daisy Daisy is a bird’s eye view of a friend’s bridal bouquet. I captured the memory
Virginia WoolfNelsonCycling the Canopy Corridor photograph, 2023See more of Virginia’s work on Facebook and Instagram and at Virginia Woolf Photography. Working closely together with the Nelson Regional Development Agency, I set out to capture an image that would highlight the beauty and serenity of the Tasman region’s rural landscapes while promoting cycling as an enjoyable and
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Marilyn AndrewsWhakatū Nelson3189 Tropical Paradise for Joyacrylic on canvas, 2019You can see more of Marilyn’s work on her website. Marilyn is a full time professional artist working from her home studio and gallery beside the Brook Stream, five minutes from Nelson city centre. She is primarily a landscape artist creating vibrant images from her environment.
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Dii MoffatBrightwaterBig Luscious Forces 2023, acrylic on embossed aluminium on canvas, 200h x 60w cm Untitled2024, acrylic on embossed aluminium on canvas, 100h x 80w cmSee more of Dii’s work on Facebook and Instagram I am a painter, colourist and maker of lyrical and semi-mathematical shapes on flat surfaces. Currently, my work is painstaking. It is
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