Artist Rob McGregor is looking forward to meeting and working with the finalists of The Weekend Sun Emerging Artist award in a series of development workshops leading up to the highly-anticipated Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival in November.

The Weekend Sun Emerging Artists project is a wonderful opportunity for developing artists to grow confidence and build on their existing skills through attending workshops with a mentoring artist.

Would-be artists are invited to submit a bio and photos showing examples of their work to the festival's artist committee. From this, finalists are selected.

'I read through the finalists' bios and start to make notes so when I make up a programme, it's a result of looking at examples of their work as well as their individual profiles,” says Rob.

His tailored workshops enable the participants to benefit not only from his wealth of knowledge and artistic expertise but to also benefit from each other's suggestions and ideas.

'The inaugural workshops were held for the first time two years ago, and I thought it was very good. I think overall the people attending them were very happy,” says Rob.

'They not only have me tutoring them but they have other people's work from the group to look at, so they don't just receive my one-sided view but also other people's input as well.”

Rob says it's important during this collaborative supportive process that people make their own decision about their work.

The artists chosen come to the workshops with easels, paints, canvas and painting tools, with Rob covering important aspects of composition, perspective, focal points, and artistic licence.

The Weekend Sun Emerging Artist Award was created to encourage new artists to develop their expertise, or to prompt existing artists to take their work to the next level.

The emerging artist winner will receive a prize and entry as a trail artist into the 2024 festival. Runners-up will also be considered as trail artists for 2024. Artists can submit entries at: www.gardenandartfestival.co.nz