Rena Manson Archive

Rena Manson (nee Brodie) (1914-2013) was a Northland then Auckland-based painter who actively participated in her local art scene. She exhibited with groups such as the Auckland Society of Arts and the NZ Fellowship of Artists. Manson painted familiar scenes using ‘clear, bright colour’ with ‘lively handling’ (North Shore Gazette 8 Oct 1974).

This archive consists of 20 scrapbooks and sundry ephemera collected and compiled by Manson that feature the activities of the ASA and various Auckland painting groups such as The Tuesday Group and the St Heliers Art Group. The books’ contents are predominantly photos but press clippings, exhibition notices, and small works on paper can also be found. Manson’s collecting follows the careers of artist friends and mentors including Ida Eise, Peggy Spicer and Bessie Christie.