Portraits at the Suter Art Gallery

Today we also went to the Suter Art Gallery to learn more about portraits. We looked at some portraits of Amelia Suter and the Bishop Suter.

They didn't look very happy to have their photo taken! We talked about why people have a portrait made and what sorts of portraits you can have.

Then we looked more closely at some of the portraits in the exhibition.

We were told the story of Huria Matenga. Here is what we can remember of the story...

In the old days there was no big cars. So there was no transport trucks so they had to sail boats over to Wellington with their stuff on it. There was a big storm. They tried to go back to Nelson but they couldn't see the light house so they had to try to go to the beach but they hit rocks. People nearby heard the crash of the Delaware ship hitting the rocks and the people's names were Huria Matenga and her brother and husband. Huria Matenga swam out to the ship with a rope around her tummy. She climbed on the ship. Her brother tied the rope to a rock and the sail went around and hit one of the sailors in the head and he was knocked unconscious.

The whole crew managed to clicmb down the rope to shore apart for the man who was unconscious. They were all saved. They had to watch the ship fall to bits and Huria was given a watch to say thank you for saving all those lives.

By Susa and Zach

When we had had a good look at the portraits we had a go at sketching one. Jessica Ahlberg would have liked this but I bet she would have liked a lot more time to finish her work. Jenny will give us some more time.
Tiny Ted had one of his last trips out from Appleby School before he goes to America on Friday for the next part of his world tour!