Artist Llael McDonald said it was the fifth time holding the seasonal event, which involved artists from Trentham and surrounding towns creating and hiding their postcard-sized artwork throughout the town.

Clues as to where the artworks were hidden were available at local cafes, at which participants were encouraged to enjoy a warm drink before venturing out to find their unique pieces. 

McDonald said she came up with the idea for an art treasure hunt when she was feeling a bit down and wanted a way to cheer herself up. 

She said many people felt intimidated by galleries meaning they were afraid to enter, so this was a way for herself and other artists to share their work with their community in a refreshing format while bringing art to the wider public, like children. 

“Trentham has a reputation as an art town, so it’s a great way for locals to obtain original artwork by a known artist,” she said. 

McDonald said there was a common misconception that original artwork was expensive but that this notion was “simply not true” as many emerging artists were just trying to get there work out there. 

She said she really enjoyed seeing where all the artworks ended up after the hunts.

“As an artist, getting feedback is great, so we encouraged people to post their finds online.”

Artist Peter Young said artwork, like the paintings included in the art hunt, were distinctive of the artists they were created by. 

“Painting is like handwriting. It is very distinctive, like a fingerprint,” he said.  

The artworks were created by artists Llael McDonald, Andrew Greet, Katherine McDonald, Laura Jane Mitchell, Lisa Marmur, Peter Young and Taletha Rizio.

McDonald said the seven artists all had different styles, from watercolour, to linoprint and embroidery, meaning each artwork was unique and showcased spring in a different way. 

She said she would love to get more artists on board for the next art hunt as she would love to get the local school involved too.