Kay George (born 1954,

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompass ...

, New Zealand) is a senior New Zealand and

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

artist based in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. George is a major player in the development of the visual arts in the Cook Islands. George and her husband

Ian George Ian Gordon Combe George (12 August 1934 – 28 January 2019) was an Australian Anglican bishop. He was the third Archbishop of Adelaide and Metropolitan of South Australia from 1991 to 2004. Early life and education George was educated at ...

, also a notable artist himself, migrated to Rarotonga, Cook Islands from New Zealand so her husband can explore his family's heritage in the Cook Islands. George and her husband ran an art gallery named The Art Studio for many years, (now Beluga Cafe), in

Arorangi Arorangi is one of the five districts that make up the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It is located in the west of the island, to the northwest of the district of Titikaveka Titikaveka is one of the five districts that make up the is ...

. The Art Studio was recognised as one of the leading galleries in the Pacific. In 1998,

curated ''Paringa Ou'', the first major exhibition of contemporary art by Cook Island artists residing in New Zealand featuring artists such as

Ani O'Neill Ani O'Neill (born 1971) is a New Zealand artist of Cook Island (Ngati Makea, Ngati Te Tika) and Irish descent. She has been described by art historian Karen Stevenson as one of the core members of a group of artists of Pasifika descent who bro ...

, Sylvia Marsters,

Mahiriki Tangaroa Mahiriki Tangaroa (born 1973) is a New Zealand-born Cook Islands photographer and painter. She is a former director of the Cook Islands National Museum. She is recognised as a leading contemporary Cook Islands artist, and her work is regularly exhib ...

Michel Tuffery Michael "Michel" Cliff Tuffery (born 27 May 1966) is a New Zealand artist of Samoan, Tahitian and Cook Islands descent. He is one of New Zealand's most well known artists and his work is held in many art collections in New Zealand and around ...

Jim Vivieaere James Earnest Vivieaere (1947 – 3 June 2011), a New Zealand artist of Cook Island Maori heritage, was born in Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. He was a well-respected and significant multimedia and installation artist, freelance curator and ...

, Ian George, and Kay George, the exhibition travelled to the

Fiji Museum The Fiji Museum is a museum in Suva, Fiji located in the capital city's botanical gardens, Thurston Gardens. Background The museum is a statutory body and is under the administration of the Fiji Museum Act and the Preservation of Objects of Arc ...

, the Cook Islands National Museum, as well as the Gus Fisher Gallery in Auckland. The exhibition was partly sponsored by the New Zealand High Commission in Rarotonga. In 2008, She graduated Masters of Art and Design from Auckland University of Technology with Cook Islands scholarship. In 2018, celebrating 30 years since George's arrival to the Cook Islands, Bergman Gallery hosted her retrospective exhibition and 200 people attended the opening. Her work are exhibited internationally in Cook Islands, Australia,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, United States of America,

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

and

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

. Her stepdaughter

Mīria George Mīria George (born 1980) is a New Zealand writer, producer and director of Māori and Cook Island descent. Best known for being the author of award-winning stage plays, George has also written radio, television and poetry, and was one of the fil ...

, is a New Zealand writer, producer and director.

Selected solo and collaborative exhibitions

* 2024: ''Beyond the Veil of Paradise'', Bergman Gallery, Auckland * 2018: ''Years of Colour'', Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands * 1997: ''Ian and Kay George'', Morgan Street Gallery,

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

, New Zealand * 1997: ''2 Women Show'' (with Andrea Eimkee), Darwin, Australia

Selected group exhibitions

* 2020: ''Tatou 2, The Story of Us'', Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands * 2013: ''Oe Vaka'', The Art Studio, Rarotonga, Cook Islands * 2010: ''MANUIA'', BCA Gallery (now Bergman Gallery), Indian Nation Community House, New York City,

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

* 1998: ''Paringa Ou,'' Fisher Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand * 1998: ''Paringa Ou'',

* 1998: ''Paringa Ou'', Cook Islands National Museum, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Kay Cook Island artists New Zealand artists People from Rotorua Auckland University of Technology alumni 1954 births Living people