Welcome to the Waikouaiti Old Post Office Blog

Please follow the links to Peter's Pottery and Laura's Paintings on the right hand side of this page to see recent work from our studios and pottery and painting in progress.


This 102 year old building has been home and studio to artists, Peter and Laura Gregory, for the last 20 years. Under this roof both pottery and paintings are made.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Oamaru Victorian Fete this Sunday. Do drop in on us on the way past!

I took the photos that are with this at the 2007 Oamaru Victorian Fete, which is held in the Historic area of Oamaru amongst its lovely restored Oamaru Limestone buildings.





It is the wonderful 2009 Oamaru Victorian Fete on this Sunday. Well worth the trip to take part in all the fun. And, yes.... the wee person with the big saw in the last photo is Laura about to do really well in the stone sawing competition in the 2007 Oamaru Victorian Fete!

So, if you are driving through Waikouaiti on your way to Oamaru for the Fete, do visit our studio at Waikouaiti's old post office building. We are open from 1pm to 5pm on Sunday, and also on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Waikouaiti Museum Tour

Sunday 15 November, 10am to 4pm
Waikouaiti Museum invites you to take a tour of Otago's earliest settlement...

Visit historic and heritage properties including a former post office and a dame school. See heritage gardens, historic trees, roses, irises, and herbs. Visit studios of local weavers and potters, buy preserves and plants.

$10 ticket includes entry to the Waikouaiti Museum (newly renovated Aitcheson Room), programme, garden visits and Devonshire tea. Tickets available from the Museum.

Yes folks, Sunday in Waikouaiti will be a busy day this weekend. Our home and studio will be one of the places to visit as part of the tour that the museum has organized. I hope to be demonstrating with my potter's wheel, and we will have a display of photos and memorabilia that will illustrate some of the history of the Waikouaiti Post Office. Also on display will be my pottery and our paintings.


Peter's Pottery

Most of Peter's pottery is fired in a wood fired kiln. Not many potters use wood fired kilns in New Zealand these days, and Peter is one of very few firing with a wood fired kiln in Otago. Wood fired pottery is quite different from pottery that is fired in an electric kiln, or even in a gas kiln. The fire, ash, and ever changing atmosphere inside a wood fired kiln adds its own patina to the pot, and makes each object unique. There is a wide variety of Peter's pottery on display at the Old Post Office, and prices range from $10 to around $400, with many items being $25 - $40, making them ideal as gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Peter makes functional and decorative pottery, including tea pots, jugs, mugs, bowls, vases, bottles, and planters, he also has been commissioned to make tiles.


Laura's Paintings

Laura paints people, angels, fish, and all sorts of things out of her imagination, her work is brightly coloured and very original. Her paintings are collected by people all over New Zealand and overseas, and each painting usually takes more than a week to produce.

Longer Hours

Beginning November 2009, we will be extending our opening hours. Our new hours will be, Wednesday to Friday 1 -5pm and Sunday afternoon 1-5pm. (We will no longer be open the first Saturday of the month). There will be a display of pottery and paintings at our studio, as well as work in progress.



Friday, October 30, 2009

Our New Extended Hours: Wednesday to Friday 1 -5 pm, and Sunday 1 -5 pm

A Special Occasion at the Waikouaiti Old Post Office.

Article by Peter Gregory.

Two years ago we celebrated Waikouaiti Old Post Office's Centenary, this November we have another special occasion. On Sunday 8 November we will celebrate our 20 years of living and working at the Waikouaiti Old Post Office which is our home and studio, so do come and join us, we open 1pm – 5pm. There will be nibbles and refreshments, an exhibition of paintings and pots, and a prize to win too!


Peter's Pottery

Most of Peter's pottery is fired in a wood fired kiln. Not many potters use wood fired kilns in New Zealand these days, and Peter is one of very few firing with a wood fired kiln in Otago. Wood fired pottery is quite different from pottery that is fired in an electric kiln, or even in a gas kiln. The fire, ash, and ever changing atmosphere inside a wood fired kiln adds its own patina to the pot, and makes each object unique. There is a wide variety of Peter's pottery on display at the Old Post Office, and prices range from $10 to around $400, with many items being $25 - $40, making them ideal as gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Peter makes functional and decorative pottery, including tea pots, jugs, mugs, bowls, vases, bottles, and planters, he also has been commissioned to make tiles.


Laura's Paintings

Laura paints people, angels, fish, and all sorts of things out of her imagination, her work is brightly coloured and very original. Her paintings are collected by people all over New Zealand and overseas, and each painting usually takes more than a week to produce.

Longer Hours

Beginning November 2009, we will be extending our opening hours. Our new hours will be, Wednesday to Friday 1 -5pm and Sunday afternoon 1-5pm. (We will no longer be open the first Saturday of the month). There will be a display of pottery and paintings at our studio, as well as work in progress.



Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Open Every Sunday!



We will be opening Every Sunday from 1pm to 5pm from now on.

On the first weekend of each month we will also have our studio open on the Saturday as well, 1pm - 5pm.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Things to see in Waikouaiti and Waitati

The first weekend of the month is almost with us again. This is an exciting time to be in Waikouaiti as you can visit a painter, a potter, and a weaver and see their work and their studios. So do visit us, and Marion Day, we are open the first weekend of the month, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, 1pm -5pm.

As the warmer weather approaches, we hope!..., Marion Day and ourselves are considering opening more frequently. We will try opening most Sunday afternoons from this month onwards and may also begin to fling the door open other times too. As we are a working studio, and I have kilns to fire and pots to glaze, things sometimes come up that make it impossible for us to open the door. We will put signs out and, in our case, fly the flag when we are open. If you are making a special trip to see our work, it is a good idea to give a ring first to make sure that we are open.

If you are driving to Waikouaiti, why not combine it with a visit to the Gallery On Blueskin at Waitati? The gallery is the first building you come to on the left as you turn off the main road on the big bend at blueskin bay. The gallery is situated just before the garden center entrance. The gallery is holding its Spring Show at the moment. The show runs until 11 October. Laura and I are two of the 13 artists taking part.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Where you can see our paintings and pottery


We open our studio to the public on the first weekend of each month and we are also happy to see people at other times too. Just phone us to make sure we are home, send me an Email at opogallery AT gmail DOT com, or leave a message on our blog site a day or two before you would like to visit so that we can make arrangements.

Gallery on Blueskin at Waitati, 15 minutes North of Dunedin, have a good selection of Peter's Pottery on show. This gallery is well situated beside beautiful Blueskin Bay and can be part of a nice day out from Dunedin. Louise and Nicky are the delightful people that run the gallery, and you can be sure of a warm welcome there. The gallery is open every day except Monday.
www.gallery-on-blueskin.co.nz

Laura's paintings may be found at Moray Gallery in Princes Street, Dunedin, quite close to the Octagon.
www.moraygallery.com

Peter is a member of the Stuart Street Potter's Co-operative, and always has pottery on show there. The Co-operative Gallery is situated in Lower Stuart Street, Dunedin, just opposite the Law Courts. The Co-operative Gallery is open 6 days every week, Monday to Saturday. Co-op members take turns to look after the gallery, and Peter is there once a fortnight on a Tuesday; he will be there next on Tuesday 8 September.

Peter and Laura usually also have a small selection of work available at Renaissance Gallery, Dunedin, which has a lovely rural location with displays outside of sculpture, a bead shop, and a nice gallery. Check their web site for how to get there. www.renaissancegallery.co.nz

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Open Studio First Weekend of the Month, or when the flags are flying!

These are images from our recent open studio. We open on the first weekend of every month, or when the flags are flying. People are also welcome to contact us and visit by arrangement.


Wednesday, July 8, 2009

It is good to see you!

We open our studio to the public on the first weekend of each month and we are also happy to see people at other times too. Just phone us to make sure we are home, send me an Email at opogallery AT gmail DOT com, or leave a message on our blog site a day or two before you would like to visit so that we can make arrangements.

Over this winter period I would like to make some alterations to our studio to arrange better storage for work in progress, and a more enjoyable place for Laura to do her painting, this could mean that we are in chaos sometimes while the alterations are being done, but we usually have some of our paintings and pottery here for people to see.

Gallery on Blueskin at Waitati, 15 minutes North of Dunedin, have a good selection of Peter's Pottery on show. This gallery is well situated beside beautiful Blueskin Bay and can be part of a nice day out from Dunedin. Louise and Nicky are the delightful people that run the gallery, and you can be sure of a warm welcome there. The gallery is open every day except Monday.
www.gallery-on-blueskin.co.nz

Laura's paintings may be found at Moray Gallery in Princes Street, Dunedin, quite close to the Octagon.
www.moraygallery.com

Peter is a member of the Stuart Street Potter's Co-operative, and always has pottery on show there. The Co-operative Gallery is situated in Lower Stuart Street, Dunedin, just opposite the Law Courts. The Co-operative Gallery is open 6 days every week, Monday to Saturday. Co-op members take turns to look after the gallery, and Peter is there once a fortnight on a Tuesday; he will be there next on Tuesday 14 July.

Peter and Laura usually also have a small selection of work available at Renaissance Gallery, Dunedin, which has a lovely rural location with displays outside of sculpture, a bead shop, and a nice gallery. Check their web site for how to get there. www.renaissancegallery.co.nz

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Where you can see our pots and paintings



Coming up soon.....
Peter will be taking part in a group show featuring four Dunedin artists at the Dunedin Community Gallery from June 22 to June 28. The three other artists are Mike Bowden, Jack Monaghan, and Justin Morshuis. Peter will be the only potter taking part in the exhibition, and will demonstrate making pots on the wheel on the Thursday and Friday of the exhibition, from 11am to 2pm.


Laura sells her paintings at Moray Gallery, Dunedin; which is on Princess Street, close to the Octagon.

Peter sells his pottery at Stuart Street Potter's Co-operative, Lower Stuart Street, Dunedin; opposite the Law Courts.


Peter also sells his pottery at Gallery on Blueskin, Waitati; 15 minutes North of Dunedin.


Peter also has some pottery, paintings, and printmaking at Renaissance Gallery, Ravensbourne, Dunedin. Laura usually has some paintings there too. Check their excellent website for how to get to this magical place.


On the first weekend of every month we open our studio at Waikouaiti Old Post Office to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1pm. You can see us at work, talk to us, and see a display of finished pots and paintings.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Open Studio This Saturday and Sunday afternoons


Yes, it is the first weekend of the month and time for our regular monthly open studio weekend. Our hours are from 1pm to 5pm Saturday and Sunday, and this weekend we have a selection of brand new pots on display that we fired in the wood fired kiln last weekend.








The map below shows where we are located. Please note, "What's Looming", the weaver's studio, is not open this weekend due to sickness.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Where you can see our work



On the first weekend of every month we open our studio at Waikouaiti Old Post Office to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1pm. You can see us at work, talk to us, and see a display of finished pots and paintings.


Laura sells her paintings at Moray Gallery, Dunedin; which is on Princess Street, close to the Octagon.


Peter sells his pottery at Stuart Street Potter's Co-operative, Lower Stuart Street, Dunedin; opposite the Law Courts.



Peter also sells his pottery at Gallery on Blueskin, Waitati; 15 minutes North of Dunedin.


Peter also has some pottery, paintings, and printmaking at Renaissance Gallery, Ravensbourne, Dunedin. Laura usually has some paintings there too. Check their excellent website for how to get to this magical place.


Sunday, April 26, 2009

Open Studio at the Old Post Office Coming up Soon, and Visit a Waikouaiti Weaver!


Yes, another open studio weekend is fast approaching at the Waikouaiti Old Post Office. We have them on the first weekend of each month.


Hours are Saturday and Sunday 1pm - 5pm. There will be displays of finished pots and paintings, as well as a chance to see work in progress and to talk to us about our work.


Peter usually throws pots on the wheel through the weekend, especially on the Sunday afternoon and talks about the process. Visitors are welcome!


Why not combine a trip to our open studio with a visit to the near by studio of Marion Day, who is a weaver?


Marion does beautiful work, she and her husband Eric are great people, and they have a lovely garden.


They open the same hours as us on the first weekend of every month, and we can easily give you directions from our place.


Here is a map of how to find us.

Meet the Artists

My photo
Waikouaiti, Otago, New Zealand
I live with my wife Laura in an old Post Office building in the South Island of New Zealand. I make pottery, Laura paints, and we try to make a living from our work.