City Gallery

Past event

Family Day

11am–4pm, Sat 17 July

Inspired by our exhibition Every Artist, Family Day returns with fun portrait themed art activities for the whole whānau on Saturday 17th July during the school holidays. Try your hand at life drawing, make a disguise and pose for a family portrait, colour and decorate your own character badge, listen to stories, watch films, and grab a prize from the Hits Wall.  

This Family Day our special guest is illustrator Giselle Clarkson. Come along and meet Giselle, who has illustrated everything from kids books like ‘The Goobledegook Book’ and ‘Egg & Spoon’, to ‘Critters of Aotearoa’. She’ll be life drawing along with the crowd. Watch her pictures take shape on her tablet and see how real-life illustrators create their work! Join in and compose a face with Giselle and decorate one of her playful character badges in our reading room.    

We look forward to seeing your friendly face at our funny place this Family Day!  

 Free drop-in activities 11am – 4pm    

  • Props and Disguises: Drop into the Education Studio to create photobooth props and disguises.   
  • Awkward Family Photos!: Take your own family portrait with The Amazing Traveling Photobooth.  
  • Compose a Funny Face: Giselle Clarskon will be our special guest throughout the afternoon, at 1pm draw a funny face along with Giselle. Surprising results and smiles guaranteed.   
  • Theatrical Life Drawing: Marvel at posing performers with cool costumes! Have a go at drawing all the drama acted by our ace theatrical performers. They strike a pose, you draw it, there’s nothing to it. Between 1.30-3.30pm. 
  • Badgemaking: Colour cool characters drawn by Giselle for Family Day and make them into badges.  
  • Storytime: Join us for some whānau stories read by Tess, a Wellington Librarian, at 12 and 2pm.  
  • The Hits Prize Wall: Grab a prize from The Hits Wall between 12–2pm.
  • Family Films: Watch people themed short films from our friends at Square Eyes Film Foundation.