Trustees and staff of Toi MAHARA have paid tribute to the late Mary Zohrab, the gallery’s first patron and one of its founding artists.
While Zohrab was her birth name and the name she used as an artist, she was also known by her married name, Lady Edith Mary Hardie Boys.
MAHARA Chairman of Trustees, Gordon Shroff, said that Mary Zohrab was one of three artists – along with Robin Rogerson and Bob Gibbs – who were among the small group that established Mahara Gallery.
“Mary was one of the artists whose drive and vision led to the establishment of the Gallery in 1995. We pay tribute to her contribution as an exhibitor, patron and active supporter through the years that have followed.
“She and her husband, the late Sir Michael Hardie Boys, maintained their interest and were active supporters of the redevelopment project which has transformed the former Waikanae library that housed Mahara Gallery into a purpose-built art facility.”
The late Roger Daniell, former President of Watercolour New Zealand, described Mary Zohrab in 2022 as “an intelligent and sensitive watercolourist who also painted in acrylics and oils. Mary took a delight in allowing watercolour to merge and flow, such as in her often-painted images of Western Lake Taupō.”
In early 2020, she, Robin Rogerson and Bob Gibbs, exhibited at Mahara Gallery to mark the 25th anniversary of its formation.
At the exhibition opening the founding board Chairman, Chris Turver paid tribute to Mary Zohrab’s contribution.
“To kick-start public awareness of the new trust board we agreed we needed a high-profile person, preferably an artist, to formally open the gallery. To our delight, Mary, Lady Hardie Boys, wife of the then Governor General, agreed to give us Vice Regal support,” he said.
By Kevin Ramshaw