Residents September 2018 – September 2019
Jenny Bornholdt is a highly respected poet and anthologist and holds a BA in English Literature, a Diploma in Journalism and studied poetry under Bill Manhire at Victoria University. She was awarded her MNZM in 2014 to Services to Poetry. She has been the recipient of many awards including: the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship) the Arts Foundation of New Zealand Poets Laureate Award); Te Mata Estate New Zealand Poet Laureate and has been a Creative New Zealand Victoria University Writer in Residence (2010).
She regularly participates in festivals, public speaking and teaching engagements and has published prolifically through-out her career. She has won the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards and her poetry has been continuously recognized in publications such as Best New Zealand Poems (Institute of Modern Letters).
During her Residency Jenny worked on, edited or published various writings and worked on a book of poems: ‘Lost and Somewhere Else’ Victoria Press. 2020. She also undertook several joint speaking engagements with Greg O’Brien: including a talk about the residency at Eastern Southland Gallery, Gore; a poetry reading at Central Stories Museum and Gallery, Alexandra; and guest readers and speakers on a discussion panel at the Bannockburn Arts Festival. They were also both Guests of Honour at a Henderson House Open Day with readings, speeches and access to the art studio. Jenny returned to Central Otago in 2024 and spoke at the Packing Shed about writing (as Guest of the Central Otago District Arts Trust).
Jenny donated a number of her books to the Henderson House Art Collection.
Greg O’Brien graduated from the University of Auckland and trained as a journalist. He is a true renaissance man: a writer, editor, poet and painter. As one of New Zealand’s most prolific contributors to both arts and literature he was awarded an MNZM in 2014 for Services to the Arts. His poems and short stories are widely anthologised, and he has published several acclaimed volumes of poetry. Greg’s writing and painting often references life growing up in New Zealand and ‘incorporates elements of personal, public and religious history’ and his works of non-fiction, particularly those directed at young readers, are highly regarded. Fellowships include the Buddle Finlay Sargeson Fellowship and the Stout Memorial Fellowship. Major awards including: Montana New Zealand Book Awards; The Elsie Lock Award; New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults; the Landfall Essay Competition Prize, Otago University Press; and his books have been listed several times as a Storylines Notable Non Fiction Book. He regularly collaborates and exhibits with other painters and regularly participates in festivals, public speaking and teaching engagements.
Exhibitions resulting from Greg’s Residency included: ‘The Water Project’, a group exhibition, Ashburton Art Gallery (2018). Subsequently shown at Hastings City Art Gallery and Canterbury Museum (2019); featured artist at the Central Otago Art Society exhibition, Alexandra (2018); ‘The Wading Birds of Drybread’ exhibition at Eastern Southland Art Gallery, Gore (2019). Subsequently shown at Central Stories, Alexandra (2019) and at the Millennium Gallery, Blenheim (August—2019); exhibition ‘Wai Water, Wanaka’, Wanaka Events Centre (2019); Bannockburn Arts Festival (2018). Paintings from his Residency have also been included in various exhibitions in the North Island (National Portrait Gallery, Bowen) and in Sydney.
During his residency Greg was guest poet at a monthly poetry reading, Dunedin; spoke at a National Poetry Day, Central Stories, Alexandra and was a guest judge for the Central Otago Art Society Art Prize. He also undertook several joint speaking engagements with Jennifer Bornholdt: including a talk about the residency at Eastern Southland Gallery, Gore; a poetry reading at Central Stories Museum and Gallery, Alexandra; and guest readers and speakers on a discussion panel at the Bannockburn Arts Festival. They were also both Guests of Honour at a Henderson House Open Day with readings, speeches and access to the art studio.
In 2024 Auckland University Press published his book ‘Don Binney: Flight Path’ which won the Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction and Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2024
Greg has donated several books and an artwork to the Henderson House Art Collection.