Art lovers have a rare chance to watch a talented painter at work this weekend as part of the Arts Collective Exhibition at the Art House in Whakatāne.

The popular annual exhibition, which opened last weekend, is being presented by the Whakatāne Society of Arts and Craft and showcases a wide range of creative talent from across the region.

Exhibiting artists are hosting live demonstrations each weekend, giving visitors the opportunity to see how artworks come to life.

This Saturday, Mark Anstis will be at the Art House painting a landscape live from 10am to 4pm. On Sunday, fellow exhibitor Karen Storey will take her turn demonstrating flax weaving.

Anstis has six paintings on display in the exhibition, although the selection is changing as works sell – with two snapped up on opening weekend. Among the standout pieces is Lake Marion, a large oil-on-canvas work.

“It is a lake in Fiordland, just off the main road to Milford Sound. It is a bit of a scramble to get to it, but totally worth it,” said Anstis.

Another of his works in the exhibition captures dramatic cyclonic conditions at Sandy Bay on the Tūtūtākā Coast in Northland, painted after a recent holiday. Several other paintings will feel familiar, including scenes from Waihau Bay, Ōhiwa Harbour and Ōtarawairere Bay.

Known for his striking landscapes and portraits, Anstis blends traditional painting techniques with modern technology during the design stage of his work. Rather than relying heavily on photographs, he uses an iPad to experiment with composition and colour.

“I rearrange things so much,” he said. “You can experiment, get a composition and colours you like, and it makes the whole process of designing a painting so much quicker and easier – at least for me.”

A full-time artist, Anstis began his career primarily as a portrait painter, but says landscapes offer greater creative freedom. “Landscapes give you a lot more options. You can play around with designs and colours; it’s much more liberating.”

Water features strongly in his work.

“My parents have a very picturesque farm with streams that flow through the bush, and I used to paint heaps of them when I lived over there.”

Recent visits back home have provided fresh inspiration, and plenty of reference material, for future bush-themed paintings he said.

Anstis’ artistic journey has also taken him overseas, studying classically inspired realist art at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy.

His portraits and landscapes can be seen at galleries, including at 4ArtSake in Ōhope and a gallery in Taupō, and online: www.markanstis.com

The Arts Collective Exhibition has a diverse range of pottery, weaving, woodturning, textiles, fibre arts and more on display. The exhibition runs daily until January 11 (closed Christmas Day), with free entry.