PLEASE SANTA, I WANT TO START AN ART COLLECTION

John Daly-Peoples writing in NBR December 15 came up with the novel idea of suggesting how to start an art collection of contemporary NZ art and reckons you don't have to be a millionaire, $5000 will do.

In his piece reproduced below he suggests the art work you can purchase whether your budget is $5000 or $500,000.


It’s the end of the year and again you didn’t get around to starting that art collection of contemporary New Zealand art.

These days with on line auctions, on line catalogues, postal bids and galleries with web sites it should be so easy.

If you had embarked on starting the collections here are a few suggestions on what you could have put together with budgets ranging from $5000 - $500,000.

The suggestions are all works which were sold at auction by the leading auction houses – Webb’s, Dunbar Sloane and the International Art Centre.

With a budget of $5000 the works you would have been able to purchase mainly works on paper in multiple editions.

There will always be the opportunity to obtain some individual works and as shown in the list below. You could even obtain a one off work by Merylin Tweedie who now operates as the et al collective.

With a budget of $10,000 there is the possibility of purchasing individual paintings on board or canvas but the majority of works will still be on paper.

As the budgets available increase so that individual works of art are being purchased for around $5000 a greater number of individual pieces will be able to be included in a collection.Budget of $5000

Artist Title Medium Price
John Reynolds Axius mixed media on paper 800
John Pule Many Times at Night lithograph 550
Dick Frizzell Still Life with glasses screenprint 650
Don Binney Bird screenprint 700
Fatu Feu’u Piule woodcut 250
Pat Hanly Inside the Garden Multiple print 425
Elizabeth Thomson Eye in the Moon photolithograph 260
Rodney Fumpston Egypt One lithograph 125
Merylin Tweedie (et al) Solving Home Mixed media 400
Fiona Pardington Untitled Female Resting photograph 550


Budget of $10,000

Artist Title Medium Price
Gretchen Albrecht Sundial screenprint 900
Dick Frizzell Pascoid Tiki lithograph 850
Michael Smither Cabbage Tree with Snow screenprint 750
Graham Sydney Night Model etching 1000
Ronnie van Hout Dawn Raid photograph 650
Luise Fong Untitled Oil on board 1000
Karl Maughan Dahlia Patch Oil on canvas 1500
Tony Fomison King Lear lithograph 1000
John Walsh Merman oil 1550
John Reynolds Omaha Beach Oil stick on board 1100


Budget of $20,000
Artist Title Medium Price
Peter Robinson Stop Making Sense screenprint on canvas 2000
Laurence Aberhart Dargaville photograph 2400
Tony Fomison Last Supper lithograph 2400
Robin White Grey Sunday, Rata screenprint 1500
Dick Frizzell Theres 79 More screenprint 1400
Bill Hammond Singer Songwriter screenprint 2400
Simon Kaan Tiki etching 2000
Stanley Palmer Maungawhau September Monotype 2250
Paul Hartigan Dream Bike ultra chrome print 1820
Theo Schoon Mud Pools photograph 1200


Budget of $50,000

Artist Title Medium Price
Robin White Allen’s Beach screenprint 4200
Pat Hanly Golden Age screenprint 4000
Toss Woollaston Taramaku watercolour 4000
Gordon Walters Karaka screenprint 6000
Richard Killeen Birds and Acrylic on paper 3700
Karl Maughan Garden Study Oil on canvas 4350
Don Binney Te Henga Wax crayon on paper 7000
Michael Parekowhai Carais photograph 6000
Ralph Hotere Return to Sangro Mixed media on paper 8000
Tony de Lautour Badlands hand coloured screenprint 3750


Budget of $100,000
Artist Title Medium Price
John Walsh The Fixer Oil on board 18,000
Peter Siddell Harbour Pastel on paper 7,000
Colin McCahon Jet Pencil on paper 18,000
Gretchen Albrecht Maze Acrylic on canvas 12,000
George Baloghy Rangitoto Oil on canvas 8250
Judy Millar Untitled Yellow Oil/acrylic on canvas 3000
Peter Robinson The Queen is Dead Oil stick & acrylic on canvas 7000
Billy Apple Shopping Bag Shopping bag /screenprint 8500
Michael Stevenson Department Store at Night Oil on board 8000
Philip Trusttum Mower Oil on canvas 6000


Budget of $250,000
Artist Title Medium Price
Anne Robinson Cactus Vase Cast glass 23,500
Milan Mrkusich Meta Grey Acrylic on canvas 29,000
Shane Cotton Good Tree Bad Tree Oil on canvas 12,000
Ralph Hotere Winter Solstice, Careys Bay Oil pastel on paper 21,000
Bill Hammond Casio & Shacklock Oil on board 16,000
Richard Killeen Flying High and away acrylic on aluminium 34,000
Robin White Parramatta Landscape Oil on canvas 18,000
Toss Woollaston Sunset at Greymouth Oil on board 14,000
John Reynolds X.I.T. Oil stick on board 11,000
Tony Fomison The Moon and the road Home Oil on canvas 16,000




Budget of $500,000
Artist Title Medium Price
Brent Wong Mountain Cloud Acrylic on board 38,000
Michael Smither Sarah with Yellow Ball Oil on board 60,000
Colin McCahon Gate Oil on shaped board 80,000
Gordon Walters Study for Rewa Ink on paper 60,000
Grahame Sydney Sunset at the Turnoff Oil on linen 58,000
Pat Hanly Flower Pot Table Enamel on board 40,000
John Pule Lagamatai Ink & acrylic on canvas 18,000
Don Binney Mana Isalnd XV Oil on board 37,000
Richard Killeen Tracing The lines of My Face alkyd on aluminium 52,000
Gretchen Albrecht Abstract Composition Acrylic on canvas 41,000


Gow Langsford Gallery who are one of the leading contemporary dealers were asked for suggestions on the best use of $250, 000 in establishing an art collection. They came up with three options for art collections.

These ranged from the purchase of one work by the leading British sculptor Tony Cragg through to a mix of local and international artists.1. Single purchase

Tony Cragg Bronze sculpture $250,000

2. Three major NZ works

Colin McCahon Oil on board $200,000
Judy Millar Oil on canvas $45,000
Sarah Hughes Acrylic on linen $4,500


3. A mixture of International and New Zealand work

Gerhard Richter (Germany) oil on canvas $90,000
John Pule oil on canvas $38,000
Dale Frank (Australia) Oil on canvas $25,000
Andy Warhol (USA) Screen print $24,000
Shane Cotton Acrylic on canvas $45,000
Allen Maddox Oil on canvas $26,500
Karl Maughan Screen print $1,500

You can also read John Daly-People's film reviews at:

www.nbr.co.nz/film