For Val Raymond's family, February 19 marked a special day.

It marked the one year anniversary of her death at age 89, and fittingly, was the opening date of an exhibition called Transformation, devoted to her life's works.

Val moved to Taupō in 1957 and became a fulltime professional artist in 1983. She was a prolific artist, and her work sold throughout New Zealand and overseas.

A recipient of numerous national art awards and a member of, as well as an exhibitor with, the NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Val spent a lifetime devoted to art. Her evolution as an artist was apparent in the range and depth of works she produced throughout a distinguished art career spanning seven decades.

Transformation curator and friend Christine McElwee says Val's earlier work in oils is displayed in the smaller gallery.

"In strict Val tradition, that 'family comes first', the first set of paintings is named Family."

Her later work, from 1992 to 2002, is on permanent exhibition in the main gallery of the Taupō Museum. The paintings are arranged around the room to portray her artistic transition from mainly landscapes in oil and watercolour through to entirely watercolour abstract expressions.

Christine says Val's huge artistic transition led to this exhibition being named Transformation, and it was put together by her children Andre, Michelle, Cheryl and Leon.

"At a time when most people are long retired, Val started abstract watercolour painting."

The exhibition coincides with the launch of a book Val intended to publish titled Heritage Painting: Taupō-nui-a-Tia New Zealand.

Christine says Val tried hard to get galleries around the North Island to display her Millenium 2000 Feather and Fibre Collection but had little success.

"Val considered that Millenium 2000 Collection was the height of her artistic career."

For the Transformation exhibition, Christine and Val's children gathered nine out of the original 64 paintings.

Christine says the abstract expressions in Val's Millenium 2000 Feather and Fibre Collection were her most exquisitely created and most culturally, environmentally and historically significant paintings.

In 2018, Val asked Christine to be involved in the production of the book. Unfortunately, Val died before the book was finished. In the past year, Christine has worked with graphic artist and inventor Mark David, who was a student in Val's art class at Taupō Intermediate School, as well as Val's children, to write and publish the book.

Addressing guests at the exhibition opening, Val's son Andre said the last year had been "a bit of a journey for us four siblings" and that helping put together the exhibition gave him an appreciation of his mother's prolific volume of art.

"No-one could know how many paintings she produced, but she never stopped painting.

"Some will recall Mum saying 'this is my last exhibition'. And that was a 'yeah right' sort of line."

Over the course of her life, Val's paintings reflected her interest in culture, environment, and history and many of her subjects were in the Central North Island. Over time, she gifted pieces of artwork to the Tongariro National Trout Centre and into the care of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

One of her landmark collections was her beautiful pencil drawings of all 23 Ngāti Tūwharetoa marae. The late Timi te Heuheu escorted her on to every marae to enable her detailed research. The resulting book, Ngā Marae o Ngāti Tūwharetoa, was published in 1992.

The late Lady te Heuheu, Ariki Sir Tumu's mother, wrote a foreword saying the work was a reference for the generations to come.

"Val Raymond's artistic perception of our marae reflects the link between our land and our people, and will be a constant reminder of our identity and history."

Val went on to gift the copyright and the reprinting rights to Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

Andre says his mother loved to share her knowledge and was generous when it came to giving her artwork to others. He says some of the paintings in Transformation are pieces she had given to her children.

The Details

What:

Val Raymond legacy exhibition Transformation and viewing of an advance copy of her book titled Heritage Painting: Taupō-nui-a-Tia New Zealand.

Where:

Taupō Museum.

When:

Exhibition runs until March 28. Her book can be purchased in bookstores from April.

Credit: NZHerald.co.nz