Bright Green Grass

Is Taranaki’s grass really fluorescent green? Shirley Markham’s etching of Mount Taranaki and surrounding plains certainly suggests it is. Her print captures the intense greens of Taranaki’s lush landscape and the deep blue of the Tasman Sea.

Markham’s artwork forms a part of the Taranaki Schools Art Cooperative Collection, which aimed to expose local students to the work of artists with Taranaki connections. Established in 1987, the collection includes 30 paintings, works on paper and woven pieces by 21 artists. It was gifted to Puke Ariki in 2008, more than 20 years after Taranaki students first began using the collection to learn about art.

The artworks were used to encourage students to consider technique, subject matter, symbolism and more. The collection provided extraordinary learning opportunities within Taranaki schools. It also marked the district’s innovative and dynamic educational environment at the time and continues to reflect the vibrancy of Taranaki’s contemporary art scene.