Guest Sculpture Artist 2026:
Win Oliver
We are delighted to have Win Oliver join us this year as a guest artist. Win has exhibited with us previously, but his work is so popular he sells out very quickly. This year we have him as a guest artist, so his work will remain on display for the duration of the Festival of Pots and Garden Art 2026.
Win Oliver
Win Oliver is a self-taught sculptor whose creative path has been shaped by a life working in farming, forestry, building and winemaking, experiences that gave him a deep appreciation for wood and natural materials. Fifteen years living on the West Coast of Te Wai Pounamu, surrounded by resourceful and creative people, further encouraged his interest in working with stone.
His philosophy is simple: to use recycled or sustainably sourced materials wherever possible, and to keep his work accessible. French oak barrel staves, once left to rot in gardens, have been transformed by Win into sculptural fish and birds. These staves come from trees averaging 150 years old, and while once inexpensive, they are now rare and increasingly difficult to source. Other materials in his work include demolition rimu, totara, and stone, with new timber carefully selected only from sustainably managed woodlots in the Marlborough Sounds or unwanted trees from gardens and parks.
Even with modern tools, these materials are often difficult to work with, but through patience, persistence and humour, Win has developed both a craft and a philosophy rooted in respect for the materials. His pieces, whether sculptural works or finely crafted jewellery from pounamu, stone, bone and shell, carry a sense of timelessness and connection to the land. Each work invites viewers to slow down and appreciate the balance of form, texture and material that defines his practice.
Win Oliver is a self-taught sculptor whose creative path has been shaped by a life working in farming, forestry, building and winemaking, experiences that gave him a deep appreciation for wood and natural materials. Fifteen years living on the West Coast of Te Wai Pounamu, surrounded by resourceful and creative people, further encouraged his interest in working with stone.
His philosophy is simple: to use recycled or sustainably sourced materials wherever possible, and to keep his work accessible. French oak barrel staves, once left to rot in gardens, have been transformed by Win into sculptural fish and birds. These staves come from trees averaging 150 years old, and while once inexpensive, they are now rare and increasingly difficult to source. Other materials in his work include demolition rimu, totara, and stone, with new timber carefully selected only from sustainably managed woodlots in the Marlborough Sounds or unwanted trees from gardens and parks.
Even with modern tools, these materials are often difficult to work with, but through patience, persistence and humour, Win has developed both a craft and a philosophy rooted in respect for the materials. His pieces, whether sculptural works or finely crafted jewellery from pounamu, stone, bone and shell, carry a sense of timelessness and connection to the land. Each work invites viewers to slow down and appreciate the balance of form, texture and material that defines his practice.