All the hype in Matakana is over the Farmers Market, but to be honest my favourite place to go on a…read moreSaturday morning is the Cream of Matakana. It's just down the road, still in the village, in what used to be a dairy factory. Today it's a gift store, and one of my favourites! They do unique art, jewellery, home wares, clothing and a great range of wooden toys. Its like ferreting in a treasure trove; I always end up leaving with something. On Saturdays they have a market outside; a selection of brick-a-brac, food, sunglasses and clothing. The quality of the stalls can vary, and there is a lot of junk but its fun looking through the antiques and scoring a bargain. If you haven't filled up at the farmers market, there is also DELICIOUS Hungarian style bread for sale. The hot cinnamon kind cooked on the rotisserie; scrummo.

This was such a nice property to explore. The sculptures are very unique and love the opportunity…read moreto learn about each one and the inspiration behind them. The property is quite large with really nice walking paths on the trail and even optional trails included. It's really a good value for your money. The lady selling the tickets was friendly and helpful in knowing it was our first time visiting. There was even a great chance of rain and we were given complimentary large umbrellas to use on the trail.

A worthwhile adventure that requires 1-1.5 hours and able to climb small incline and some steps…read more $12 admission, but $10 for seniors, and less for kids. Lovely setting, well marked, and good sculpture.

This store is great because it doesn't cater to the 'kitschy' side of New Zealand art and design as…read moremuch as some souvenir type stores like it do. It's more of an Art Gallery rather than a store. And affordable too. I love artist Tony Cribbs 'Adventures of Tin man' series and always like to pick something up whenever I see one in a store or gallery. They are just too cute. And funny as well. I always get compliments on them whenever I have people over to mine. They just exemplify the New Zealand sense of humor so well. I like the fact that Mana also has prints of a lot of their artworks so if you can't afford the actual original artwork itself there are still opportunities for you to own a slice of something. I'm currently crushing on one of their artworks, one of a Maori girl/princess wrapped in a traditional woven cloak. I may have to settle on the print of this one myself!

If you're looking for some absolutely beautiful local art, jewellery or gifts for someone visiting…read moreNew Zealand to take home with them or even to send to someone abroad, this place should be your one stop shop. They've got a fairly small but carefully curated collection of glassware, paintings and sculptures alongside jewellery and cards and other nick-nacks. My favourite things in here are the necklaces. Long thin silver chains with bird and flower pendants, which were gorgeous and really unusual. Things like this range from around $40 up to $400, so you're sure to find something no matter what your budget. I've been looking for a Green Stone necklace for my partner for quite some time and have never been able to find one that I really love, but the ones in Mana are the nicest I've seen in Auckland. Plus they were playing Ben Howard on the stereo when I walked in, which just made me like it even more.

I love the Corban's Art centre. Has consistently great exhibitions which showcase local and…read morenational artists, workshops in which you can chat to local artists and a fantastic gift shop which is always my first stop if I want to buy a gift with an Aotearoa flavour. Also runs community art workshops and has a lovely coffee shop. Love it!

I have just discovered my favourite art gallery in Auckland!!! Yay!!!!…read more I had heard about this place in the past, even considered applying for a job in their shop at one stage, but because I don't go out to Henderson all that much it just had never happened, so earlier this week I made a lunch date with my husband at the Corban Arts Estate Cafe (also a winner on my list of Auckland's finest haunts, please refer to separate review to find out why...). After our yummy lunch he headed back to work and I went of gallery viewing... The gallery has three separate rooms but all under the same roof, as you enter the front building. The gallery space is not ample, but laid out professionally and aesthetically. There was three shows exhibiting whilst I was visiting, my personal favourite was by the artist Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi, a name that may be challenging to pronounce but worth remember, this artist is a very skilled craftsman. His work revolved around La Lava, "the Tongan art of lashing or binding". He demonstrated his art through several mediums, from weaving intricate and time consuming wool pieces displayed on the wall, to building large and small geometric designs with timber. They created wonderful patterns for eye and mind to appreciate. I also liked the lightings relationship with the art, creating shadows of the designs playfully across the wall. Plus, the framing was matched beautifully, unique double edges that brought the work forward bringing extra life to the forms. Last, but not least was a really great shop were the artists (in residence) sold their mix of talents - from pottery, paintings, upcycled crafts, jewellery, cards and much more. And at affordable prices! If you haven't been to Corbans before then it is time to go; if you have been there before then go again.

"You know, I'm no art critic. But I know what I hate. And I don't hate this." - C. M. Burns,…read morePowerplant owner. Never a truer word was spoken. Art galleries are pretty boring sometimes. I don't think Starkwhite could ever be described as boring, which I think is probably the most important thing for an art gallery, right? Starkwhite consistently displays work by artists who challenge their audience. Whether they're poking fun at something or maintaining a poker face, the work always has something to say. That's why I like Starkwhite and always go inside if they've got a new artist exhibiting. Best thing I saw there was this terrific sculpture piece that saw a tray of eggs drooping perilously over the corners of an empty doorway. It was bloody excellent. Probably one of the best contemporary art galleries in Auckland.

We were driving to Tawharanui Regional Park and noticed the sculptures peeking out from inside a…read moregarden and decided we must stop in. We are so glad that we did. We found a lovely art gallery that even includes pieces from Chihuly that led to a couple of beautiful gardens adjacent to the gallery. Beyond this there is yet another larger sculpture garden with meandering paths that sometimes led to aviaries as well as other small animal areas (such as rabbits). They will be having a couple of "native" pigs join the property soon as they just arrived today. We met the owners, Anthony and Sandra Grant as she arrived on property with their new pets. Between our visit to the gallery and the larger sculpture garden, we stopped by for a wine tasting and met Tina who was generous and informative sharing about the wines grown on their estate. The Gallery Syrah and Bordeaux Blend were our favorites. Much appreciation is extended to Tina for her kindness and hospitality! After the sculpture garden, we ventured over to their restaurant, Rothko. Unfortunately for us, the restaurant was fully booked with reservations. Fortunately for us, they had seating at the picnic tables outside and they served wine and small bites. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience and will definitely be back!

Fabulous collection if (mostly) modern art sculptures set in beautifully manicured gardens and chic…read moreindoor galleries. One hour from auckland cbd... we were tourists, renting a city hop car (very reasonable and convenient)... 1 hour to get there and 3 hours in the setting, well worth the time and expense!

Filled with a lot of beautiful sculptures and paintings, Art by the Sea has more than just your…read moreusual beach and bush scenes you find in a lot of galleries around Devonport. A lot of the art is quite conceptual, yet still executed with a quintessentially Kiwi style, with a lot of New Zealand imagery and motifs. They have an eclectic mix of paintings on offer, from pop art to more classical Toss Woolaston style landscapes, and also some fantastic 3D steel fish wall hangings that my mother was a little bit tempted by. If you're after something a bit cheaper and more transportable, then Art by the Sea also has a jewellery cabinet of silver, Paua, greenstone and other goods available.

This is an amazing art gallery/art store, where you can buy beautiful products made by the local…read moreNew Zealand artist. Fabulous paintings and photography for your home wall maybe, or original as they come necklaces, rings and bracelets. I am a huge fan of their Ceramics selection- mainly by Painted Pacific Pottery who is from my local neighborhood. Wall hearts by Lots of Love are super sweet, and perfect for the love in your life. I really enjoy popping in and seeing what they have each week, there is always something different around. You may even bump into an artist in the store, who has designed something there, so talk with the lady working at Next Door Gallery, and you will learn a whole lot about a bunch of local artists you may or may not have heard of. Just a great gallery; to buy that special gift you're looking for.

Popped in here during a trip to Devonport. Love the selection. And the staff are extremely helpful,…read morefriendly and willing to tell you all the little details about their selection. And if I'm not mistaken, they can ship your purchases worldwide. Loved this place!

From the owner: Peter Raos makes fine handblown art glass and sells these beautiful objects at his gallery.read more