Media release - November 1, 2010

Pohutukawa about to bloom early in Dunedin for first time -- airport art exhibition

Dunedin Airport will this month open a special solo art exhibition by leading Otago artist Kerry Fenton-Johns, featuring pohutukawa - the New Zealand Christmas tree.

The November 15 - December 10 exhibition includes 12 paintings all showing pohutukawas in flower. Fenton-Johns said today she will send a donation to Project Crimson from the sales to help ''plant New Zealand red''.

``In Dunedin we generally have to wait much longer than the rest of New Zealand for the pohutukawa to come into full bloom so I thought we can enjoy down here at Christmas time this year with the exhibition.

``I am just so happy these days painting pohutukawa and people should look at the Project Crimson website www.projectcrimson.org to learn more about pohutukawa and rata trees,'' she said.

Fenton-Johns won the Otago phone book art award last year and was runner-up this year. She has exhibited all over the South Island. She suffered depression during her teenage years. She said she had very low self esteem and experienced utter loneliness at times.

``I could not control my sad emotions and would not have cared if a bus had run over me. I am mostly fine now and am speaking publicly about depression to help others. I so enjoy painting pohutukawa. They are just beautiful. For me, painting is so peaceful. I have been told my paintings have bought a feeling of calmness into people's lives.''

Fenton-Johns has had a life-long passion for pohutukawa (known as the NZ Christmas trees) and the airport art event is perfectly timed in the run up to Christmas, as the flower is not in full bloom around coastal Dunedin until January.

``I love the blazing red colour, the softness of the flower, the insects and birds that are drawn to the tree and the strength of the older trees trunks. I just love the mist of red they leave on the ground when the flower is spent,'' she said.

``I know there have been concerns in parts of New Zealand because of possums but it seems we are protecting, caring and appreciating our pohutukawa more these days.''

Pohutukawa were devastated so badly some years ago there were grave concerns about the species' extinction in some places. Possums are the greatest threat to their future. Project Crimson was formed in 1990 following conservationists' concerns that the pohutukawa was in genuine danger of extinction. There are about 30 million possums in New Zealand

Dunedin International Airport chief executive John McCall said they were excited about staging their first significant solo art exhibition by Kerry Fenton- Johns at the terminal.

``We are keen to support the Otago creative arts community. Kerry is an outstanding local artist and her work will really add-value to travellers experience while waiting or passing through the airport. We know there will be a lot of interest in this event which is great for Dunedin airport.''

About 775,000 passengers move through Dunedin airport every year.

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