Art as a way of living — urgent, embodied, essential.

This exhibition gathers 11 local artists whose practices are driven by daily insistence, vital compulsion, or outright obsession. These are the works that keep them up at night: pieces pulled from the depths and heights of emotion.

Across painting, sculpture, woodcut, moving image and textile work, the show traces the continual reworking of ideas an artist can’t let go of — art as wild instinct, immersion and intensity. Some seek to capture or confront childhood memories; others to lean on whānau for artistic inspiration. Still others strive to find an authentic voice amid the overwhelming flood of mediatised images.

Eastside artists: Anton Zamorkin, Deanna Morgan, Elizabeth Faye, Judy Rogers, Laurie Roodt, Nicholas Williamson, Nina Cook, Tom McCone and Xinran Yu.

Mini artists: George Bassett-Smith and Olivia Mercer.

Eastside’s highly regarded annual exhibition for artists who are new, or nearly new, to exhibiting is back for 2026 with a huge variety of works from 11 local artists in Eastside and another 7 in the Mini Gallery. This not-to-be-missed exhibition showcases impressive local talent across a wide range of media. Nothing over $700.

Eastside artists include: C J Maglaqui, Gabriel Collie, Jess Hall, Joel Calasin Jr, Madeline Hann, Mg Wong, Nicki Williams, Rosie Major, Sandra Kreniski, Sandy Austin-Fraser and Stephen Clarke.

Mini Gallery artists include: Bartholomew Gibbs, Carolyn Wightman, Colette Meehan, Jenny Dickinson, Megan Charles, Rebecca McMaster, Sia Xia.