Congratulations to Shannon Turuwhenua whose MAKA TE KUPENGA was the second regional winner in The Stuff Art Aotearoa Gold Award 2025, named at The Christchurch Art Show on 25 April at Te Pae Convention Centre.

Presented by Art Shows Across Aotearoa, the award is part of a nationwide series recognising artistic excellence, with four major regional art shows taking place across the country that celebrate both emerging and established artists, offering a total prize pool of more than $35,000 in cash and benefits.

Shannon Turuwhenua’s MAKA TE KUPENGA. Supplied image

Four artists were shortlisted for The Christchurch Art Show by judges Bob Kerr and Frances Morton, with input from Stuff readers. The Christchurch winner will then compete against other regional winners in the final round of judging, where one artist will be chosen The Stuff Art Aotearoa Gold Award national winner.

Each regional winner’s work is being purchased by the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts.

Shannon Turuwhenua (Tūhoe) carves sculptures from native and exotic timbers, exploring themes of heritage, identity, and sustainability. His work honours the transmission of knowledge across generations, with MAKA TE KUPENGA using the act of fishing as a metaphor for intergenerational learning and cultural connection.

The other finalists were Barbara Franklet of Nelson, Jane Guise of Christchurch and Cristian Gabriel Obregon, also now of Christchurch. Barbara Franklet embraces abstract painting as experimentation, balancing spontaneity with careful composition. With a career spanning nearly 30 years, she has worked across multiple mediums, from printmaking to painting. Inspired by artists like Richard Diebenkorn, she seeks to create layered, dynamic works rich with visual history.

Jane Guise has been creating and selling artwork since 2006. Working mostly in acrylic paint or pastels, she focuses on the natural landscape. Cristian Gabriel Obregon’s art reflects a lifelong exploration of styles, from surrealism to abstraction. Originally from Argentina, where he studied fine arts in Mar del Plata before pursuing private study, he is now based in Christchurch and works part-time at The White Room Community Creative Space while continuing to develop his artistic practice.

Barbara Franklet’s Rhapsody in Blue (Oil pastel and paint). SUPPLIED Image  

 Jane Guise’s Climb From Routeburn Falls. (Pastel on paper). Supplied image 

Cristian Gabriel Obregon’s The Kiss