This article today is about the history behind the scene of the art gallery called the Suter Art Gallery. It is a place where there are lots of Nelson landscapes by local artists. The senior school was comparing the landscape artworks from the olden days to now and we thought there was quite a difference. 

We went to the gallery not just to look at artworks but also to see artists’ techniques (style) and foreground, middle ground and background. The landscapes we saw were amazing. We tried to guess where they were painted. Some were scenes from Golden bay, Tahunanui , West Coast and more.

How did the Suter Art Gallery begin? Hmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder. Let’s read and find out!

Here is some information about Andrew Suter: Andrew Suter and his beloved dad, Richard Suter, started it all off. Andrew Suter was born in London, 30th of November, 1830. Andrew’s mother was called Gayska Suter. Andrew and his father both loved art. Then along came Amelia and she married Andrew Suter and became Amelia Suter.

Andrew Suter and his wife, Amelia Suter, travelled to Nelson in 1867. Andrew Suter loved art; it was his passion. He loved to buy art and he almost had a giant collection with his own art and artworks he had bought. When he and his wife travelled to Nelson he wanted to open a local art gallery. Sadly he passed away in March 1895 before he managed to do this so Amelia Suter took all his loved artworks and donated them, some land and enough money to build an art gallery in Nelson. Funnily enough it was the Suter. Amelia went back to England as she was unwell and so she never saw her husband’s paintings hanging in the gallery. She died nearly a year after her husband.

Over the years lots of local artists from Nelson and all over New Zealand have done paintings for his gallery and the collection has just grown and grown since then.

The Suter Gallery is about 117 years old and recently it had a makeover. The building looks amazing and was a fabulous place to visit. We discovered when we went to the Suter that it had an exciting education programme that included art history, hands on activities creating our own art work.

I think it is nice to have a local gallery. I hope you learnt how the Suter Art Gallery began and how the Suter family was such a cultured family.

By Isla