The 2023 Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction Artwork has been unveiled and it’s awesome!
Last night at a glittery gathering in Havelock North, the 2023 Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction featured piece of art was revealed to event sponsors, supporters, auction lot providers and esteemed guests. It’s a 1550 x 1200 acrylic on canvas by Josh Lancaster called TE MATA WOOLSHED, 2023 
And I absolutely love it!
With 100% of funds going toward the only hospice servicing the entire Hawke’s Bay region Cranford Hospice, the buzz in the lead-up to unveiling the featured artwork was getting louder with each passing month.
This large piece features the historic and iconic Te Mata Woolshed floating amongst sea of green. It’s the latest in a series of local woolsheds to emerge from Josh’s easel. In typical Lancaster style, the familiar rural architecture becomes heroic, a giant steel beast emerging from lush vines. Behind it, the view looking rolls out towards Napier and the ocean beyond.
‘I love an old wool shed – they were always magical places to visit as a kid… signposted to the senses by warm wafts of lanolin mingling merrily with a honk of sheep poo’
Josh’s biography:
Josh graduated with first-class honours from Massey University School of Design Wellington in 2000.
The years that followed surmounted in a highly-awarded advertising career alongside life-long creative partner Jamie Hitchcock.
Despite the nice lunches and overseas junkets, Josh has always wanted to paint pictures for a job. So in 2015 he pulled the pin on advertising and, with brush in hand, headed to Hawke’s Bay to have a proper go at it.
He now paints from his home studio in Havelock North each day where he lives with his 3 boys.
His iconic and sentimental subject matter and bold evocative style have become quite sought after since he first began painting in 2008.
He has held 8 sell-out solo shows across the country, and the wait time for a commission is almost 2 years.
His MT ERIN APPLE was a fan favourite in the 2022 Big Apple Project – selling at auction each for over $20k
His landscapes often capture the geography of the heart – the places we call ‘ours’ and that define who we are and where we are from. Depictions of the scenes we know and love, help connect us all through a shared memory of place.
This beautiful piece can be viewed in person at Artedomus in Havelock North until this weekend. Then it shall be on display around Hawke’s Bay until the Auction on Saturday 16th September. Check out our social media posts for locations.
It’s a great time to remind support the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction events and spread the word to enable us to raise even more than last year and continue supporting the formidable work Cranford does for those in our community.
Learn more and follow Josh on Facebook and Instagram @joshlancasterpaintings
Don’t forget to follow the wine auction on Instagram at @hawkesbaywineauction and Facebook or jump on the website to sign up for more news, donate and purchase event tickets
