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.

This name is deceiving, or perhaps I am just foolish! I have previously walked past this place and…read morehad always thought it must be 'upstairs' and would go in next time when I "have more time". Now I have made that time and I am glad I did. Downstairs is housed this great little community gallery. They change the exhibit every month and it is made up of an eclectic mix of work for purchase by established and emerging artists. The focus is on community and is linked to the Titirangi Community Arts Council. I was pleased to hear that sales have been up since moving to New Lynn in September 2012 and although they are only there temporarily for the next two years whilst Lopdell House gets a new look I am sure good things may come out of this relocation.

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.

A very handy place if you want to buy an arty/crafty gift for someone. It does have some of the…read morecliched paua shells and pictures of the skytower but it has a raft of other stuff as well. Some of the stuff is really usual such as these surreal shaped ceramic drawers. You could use them to store jewellery and they look like something out of Alice in Wonderland. There's plenty of baby and kids clothes to choose and I got a t shirt for my nephew which said "I've got a cool uncle". There's also lots of items for the house and garden . It's a big store and with so much to choose from, you're bound to find something for a gift. It's mostly local artists and craftspeople so you can rest assured that you are supporting them and the local economy.

BRING BACK CRAFT WORLD!!! i used to spend forever in here wandering around as a kid. We want…read morecraftworld back :(

I'm so pleased I accidentally stumbled across this little gallery on Ponsonby Road; it's a small,…read morequiet but inviting space on the K' Road end of Ponsonby and showcases small but interesting exhibitions in its whitewashed rooms. I really like its current "Islanders" exhibition, which showcases the work of NZ sculptor Jo Torr. I'm really fascinated by fashion history and the exhibition provided a unique insight into how Polynesian culture inspired European dress during the early days of New Zealand's colonization, which I found really interesting. There are usually two exhibits on in the gallery at any one time: a small one in the window at the front, and the main one covering the rest of the gallery. It's a real shame the gallery isn't slightly bigger as, really, you couldn't spend more than about half an hour in there; but it's free and culturally enriching. I think it's really important for places like this to exist in any city and this one is great if you just want a quiet break from the noise of the city for a while, learn about stuff or just look at beautiful things. Exhibitions usually change around once every month or two.

This little gallery space sits upstairs above Fiesta Coffee Lounge. Gone are the days of sipping…read morewine and gallery viewing - now it is time to latte and look darling! The cafe downstairs is fabulous so it was no surprises that the gallery (and a few table and chairs) upstairs were fabulous too. If only I knew about this when my friend Rosita, from Australia, was over recently, she would have loved it! Today when I went Fiesta were exhibiting work by two artists, Melissa Martyn and Trish Northey, both series of works were highly professional and talented. The latter exhibited only four pieces, but they were large and dominating, oil paintings on heavy weight linen canvas, depicting scenes of the ocean and clouds. This description will not be doing the work justice at all, the pieces sound simple but invoke majestic scenes through colour and brush stroke. Remember it is oil paint too, so the texture plays a large part in this aesthetic. The other artist had work that was quite different; detailed paintings of birds on timber, the presentation complimented the work very well. Melissa was also selling this work for a very, very good price - $200 each (the one larger piece was $230). Incredibly cheap for such the amount of work that went into them. Occasionally I like to collect pieces of original art, to beautify the home and to help support artists, at the moment money is very tight so I could't, but I am going to keep my eye on this artist for sure! Well done to all involved.

This is my number one stop for any framing that I need for new photos that I have printed…read more I first found The Astrolabe through a friend's referral, and since that day have returned on numerous occasions to find that perfect sized frame for the wall. I have a few astrolabe frames on the wall at home, and they are sturdy and stylish looking, giving the pictures life and elegance. Great staff, always helpful with any queries you may have for your picture frames, helping you with laminating and repairs as well. If your keen a photographer and call this a hobby, why not try out a frame to complement your work like I did, I was really impressed. I know that there is a film/camera store close by however the frames they have are no comparison to the Astrolabe Gallery.

This is the best photo framing I have come across. I have been using this business for many many…read moreyears and the art I have framed over the years is still looking good. Yuan is professional and precise and will bend over backwards to make sure the customer is satisfied. One act of goodwill worth mentioning - on several occasions over the years I have gone in to the shop with something small and Yuan has not accepted payment - unheard of. I will always recommend this business as being the best of the best

Some really interesting art from a wide range of contemporary artists. I was drawn in by a great…read morepeice of oil on recovered timber depicting 4 different city centres from around the world. Once inside it's a treasure trove of colour and a gift for the eyes. Speaking with gallery they have a large collection that isn't shown due to the size of the building but they rotate to keep things up to date and interesting. Their collection if from established names and also hand picked up and coming talent. Kevin Smyth also offers an Art Consultancy service, which is way above my station but if you are passionate about art I would recommend Smyth.