Italian inspired plaster panel artworks
Now showing at Estuary Arts Centre.
Arte Mani Studio will exhibit a range of their Italian decorative plaster panel artworks and furniture this Spring in what will be their inaugural New Zealand exhibition. Entitled ‘Venetian Lights’ and running from 21 October – 17 November 2019 at the Estuary Arts Centre in Orewa on Auckland’s Hibiscus Coast, the Arte Mani exhibition is free to all. It hopes to attract lovers of contemporary art and interior design from far and wide.
Specialising in bespoke interior surface finishes and polished Italian plaster, Arte Mani Studio is run by Italian husband and wife team Marco Baldisser and Nicoletta Benella. Both are natives of Italy’s northeast Veneto region, the birthplace of Italian decorative plaster finishing or Stucco Veneziano - a centuries old technique as relevant to interior architecture and design today as it was in the Renaissance or Roman times.
Marco is a master artisan with over 15 years experience in the art of decorative polished plaster. Nicoletta is a freelance designer and illustrator with a career background in interior design and fashion.
Using the versatile, naturally derived medium of Italian plaster Marco has created texture, colour and tactile contemporary pieces of interior design.
“Nicoletta and I both harbour a genuine passion for Italian plaster,” says Marco.
“Everytime I handle it, I am surprised with yet another way to express the beauty and individualism of this incredible medium.”
Marco and Nicoletta work collaboratively for Arte Mani Studio clients on projects big and small. From private bespoke interiors, to commercial and hospitality projects, their thoughtfully crafted artworks are designed and created with a specific space in mind. Arte Mani Studio have an available collection to purchase but are also delighted to work on commission pieces.
Animal Abuser
🚨 URGENT WARNING TO ALL LOST & FOUND / PET REHOMING PAGES 🚨 and people rehoming pets or reporting lost animals.
It has come to our attention that a long-term, repeat animal abuser is still actively obtaining animals through Facebook groups.
The type of animal does not matter — birds, livestock, dogs, small pets — anything he can access.
He monitors rehoming pages. He approaches people offering “help.” He presents as reasonable. He will say the right things.
Do not give this person any animals under any circumstances.
If you are an admin of a lost & found page, a community group, or a pet rehoming group:
• Please stay vigilant
• Check profiles carefully
• Share this warning across your networks
Animals have already paid the price for people not knowing.
If you are unsure about someone requesting an animal, ask rescue groups to help.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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