About Harrisons Gallery

The Harrisons Team:

Harrisons is the exclusive North Island dealer for Auckland-based Tim Wilson, the country’s leading landscape artist.  Other artists represented include Mosgiel-based landscape painter Murray Ayson, Auckland portrait artist Luke Hollis and Mark Cross, a South Pacific contemporary realist painter and Queenstown painter Ben Ho.

Art classes

More than a dozen art classes are held each term at Harrisons’ ArtBuzz school.  Tutors include artists Tim Wilson and Ben Ho, as well as Whitecliff Art College tutor James Lawrence and local tutors Finela Moore and Talulah Belle.  Private tutoring is also available.

The art studio and gallery can be used for corporate functions, social events and team building activities such as portrait-painting workshops.

Framing

Harrisons’ master framer Stacey Howell qualified with the Fine Art Trade Guild and is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Picture Framers.  Harrisons specialises in custom framing to conservation and museum grade standards and has gained a reputation for framing difficult or unusual items.

Art services – restoration, valuation and in-home consultations

Harrisons has an enviable reputation for specialist restoration of artworks and textiles.  Harrisons works with New Zealand Art Services to offer valuations for insurance or re-sale.  Valuations can be carried out at Harrisons premises in Tauranga or in home throughout the Bay of Plenty.

Harrisons also offers free, no obligation, in home consultations designed to take the guess work out of art buying.

Art supplies

Harrisons stocks the largest range of quality art supplies in Tauranga and in August 2009 will introduce the Golden range of acrylics.  The Harrisons range includes Atelier, Matisse, Art Spectrum, Winsor & Newton, Cotman, Museum, Das, Francheville, Rembrandt, Faber Castel Pitt, Conteau, Albredt Duer and Canson brands.  Paints, mediums, inks, canvasses (museum and student grades), pastels, brushes, pens, pencils, paper and art pads are available.

Owner profiles

In 2008, Harrisons Gallery was purchased by gallery staff Durrelle Green and Gaye Carrothers, plus shareholder/directors Marshall and Beverly Hollister-Jones and Liz and John Turnbull. 

Durrelle Green is the General Manager and worked at Harrisons for four years before buying the gallery from the previous owner Corina Mee.  Originally from the Waikato, Durrelle has previously worked as a hand painted furniture artist, signwriter, ceramics painter and veterinary nurse.  She has painted since childhood and specialises in contemporary acrylic artworks.

Gaye Carrothers is our Gallery Director and worked at Harrisons for more than a year before purchasing the gallery.  She has a vast sales and marketing background which is well utilised at Harrisons Gallery! Gaye also dabbles in the joy of painting.

Beverly Hollister-Jones and her husband Marshall are shareholder/directors of the gallery.  Marshall is a Tauranga doctor and Beverley is an established abstract artist.

Liz Turnbull and her husband John are also shareholder/directors.  They own The Woolshed, boutique accommodation near Katikati.  John works in the civil engineering sector and Liz is a contemporary abstract artist.

History

Harrisons Gallery was founded in 1961 by George and Margaret Harrison, who operated the business for 39 years.  In 1993 they sold to Ross and Lynne Brown, who owned the gallery for 10 years and found much success selling their daughter Hayley Brown’s artwork.  Hayley also launched the ArtBuzz art school.  In 1990, the Brown family opened Harrisons in Whangamata – an art gallery, small picture framers and art supplies store.

In 2003 Corina Mee bought the Tauranga gallery from the Browns, and in 2005 Corina purchased ArtBuzz.

The new owners, which include two of the gallery’s staff, purchased the gallery and art school in September 2008 and established Harrisons Fine Art Ltd, a business offering a full range of art services to the Bay of Plenty.

Owner profiles

In 2008, Harrisons Gallery was purchased by gallery staff Durrelle Green and Gaye Carrothers, plus shareholder/directors Marshall and Beverly Hollister-Jones and Liz and John Turnbull. 

Durrelle Green is the gallery manager and worked at Harrisons for four years before buying the gallery from the previous owner Corina Mee.  Originally from the Waikato, Durrelle has previously worked as a hand painted furniture artist, signwriter, ceramics painter and veterinary nurse.  She has painted since childhood and specialises in contemporary acrylic artworks.

Gaye Carrothers is an art consultant and has worked at Harrisons for more than a year.  She was the national sales manager for Jasons Travel Media before moving to Tauranga.

Beverly Hollister-Jones and her husband Marshall are shareholder/directors of the gallery.  Marshall is a Tauranga doctor and Beverley is an established abstract artist.

Liz Turnbull and her husband John are also shareholder/directors.  They own The Woolshed, boutique accommodation near Katikati.  John works in the civil engineering sector and Liz is a contemporary abstract artist.