PROVENANCE Judith Anderson Collection

EXHIBITED Game On, Hastings City Art Gallery Te Whare Toi O Heretaunga, 2012

WORKS FROM THE COLLECTION OF GALLERIST JUDITH ANDERSON LOTS 1 - 8 I believe my love of art was ignited by a lovely neighbour who had attended Elam when luminaries such as John Weeks and A Lois White taught there. She would often come and draw me and my babies. Over the years I managed to visit galleries in the city. Denis Cohn, Rodney Kirk Smith and Peter Webb were forging the path for contemporary galleries.

Finally, I began working for Ferner Galleries where I learned the nuts and bolts of the art industry. I opened my first gallery in 1989 working from my shabby old villa in Ponsonby. Moving to large airy premises in Wellesley Street was a big deal. In 1994 John Pule had his first exhibition with me. What marvellous canvases they were.

I am most proud of the Pacifica exhibition showing Chris Charteris and Nikki Hastings McFall amongst other Pacifica artists.

From about four galleries operating when I opened, there were around forty when we left Auckland in 2005. Fifteen wonderful years.

Relocating to Hawke's Bay was an enormous challenge and yet somehow, we made a success of it. An historic home and a large purpose-built barn gallery. We mounted some wonderful exhibitions, inviting artist to stay and introducing very different art to the locals! I finally retired just before my 70th birthday marking a lifetime of passion in the world of art. Judith Anderson