Robyn E. Kenealy

Robyn E. Kenealy is a creator and organiser in the New Zealand art and comics communities. She is based in Wellington, and is most notable for her role in establishing the 91 Aro St Gallery, organising the New Zealand Comics Weekend and the recent of the Eric Awards.Cite web|url=http://www.comics.org.nz/wiki/index.php?title=Robyn_E_Kenealy|title=Robyn Kenealy's notability in the New Zealand comics community|accessdate=2008-02-07|work=Kiwi Comics Wiki]

Biography

According to her profile at the Kiwi Comics Wiki, Robyn is a Wellington based comic book artist. She also, "...plays guitar and banjo, makes conceptual art, dabbles in painting and haiku and has written the odd short story".Cite web|url=http://www.comics.org.nz/wiki/index.php?title=Robyn_E_Kenealy|title=Robyn E. Kenealy|accessdate=2008-02-07|work=Kiwi Comics Wiki] She is currently studying art history, geology and media studies at Victoria University in Wellington.Cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/roddysfilmcompanion|title=Robyn Kenealy's MySpace page|accessdate=2008-03-11|work=Roddys Film Companion MySpace]

Wellington Indie Arts Scene

Over the last decade Robyn and her husband Richard (Dick) Whyte have played a significant role in Wellington's alternative and experimental art scene. In 2001 Robyn joined Dick and others in working upon "The Wayfarer Gallery" in Wellington as a space for experimental art to flourish. In 2004 their arts advocacy shifted to the "91 Aro St Gallery", another Wellington outlet for independent arts.Cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20041114214814/http://aroarts.org.nz/|title=Robyn E. Kenealy at Aro St|accessdate=2008-02-07|work=Way back machine] 91 Aro St sold and exhibited comics, tapes, CDs, books, films, paintings, photographs, pictures, glass work and it was open for twelve months while they held the lease on the premises.

On the National Scene

It was during 2005 that 91 Aro St was the venue for the first New Zealand Comics Weekend, a weekend devoted to the exhibition and celebration of New Zealand comics.Cite web|url=http://www.comics.org.nz/wiki/index.php?title=New_Zealand_Comics_Weekend|title=Robyn Kenealy and others organise New Zealand Comics Weekend|accessdate=2008-02-07|work=Kiwi Comics Wiki] Since then Robyn has been the major organiser of this event in 2006 and contributed to the 2007 event, organised by cartoonists DRAW and Tim Bollinger, with increasing attention from the national media.Cite web|url=http://www.tv3.co.nz/default.aspx?tabid=112&articleID=25484#vidlist25484|title=New Zealand Comics Weekend on TV3|accessdate=2008-02-07|work=TV3] The 2006 event also included the Eric Awards, an independently judged New Zealand comic awards. Robyn and Dick hosted the event, which also featured stand-up comedian Darren Schroeder as the MC.Cite web|url=http://isaacfreeman.livejournal.com/205844.html|title=New Zealand Comics Weekend 2006|accessdate=2008-01-07|work=Isaac Freeman Livejournal]

Comics

* "Influenza In Wellington" issues 1-4
* "Love Ain't Easy" parts one and two
* "Roddy's Film Companion", about child and adult star Roddy McDowall

Exhibitions

* "Rubbernek 2", group exhibition at Enjoy Gallery 2001
* "Wayfarer Presents", group exhibition at Enjoy Gallery, 2002
* "Spring", installation piece at 91 Aro Street, 23 Aug - 6 Sept 2005
* "Wellington Comics Exhibition" at Mezzo Gallery, 15-29 April 2005

Acknowledgements

Robyn featured in the 2004 Toby Donald and Dick Whyte documentary, "Boys Suck: Throw Rocks at Them" first screened at the New Zealand Comics Weekend at 91 Aro St Gallery, later to be released on DVD.Cite web|url=http://www.comics.org.nz/wiki/index.php?title=Boys_Suck:_Throw_Rocks_at_Them|title=Boys Suck: Throw Rocks at Them|accessdate=2008-02-07|work=Kiwi Comics Wiki] The documentary followed Robyn and fellow comic artist G.C.R. to the Eric Awards in 2004. She was also interviewed by Shirley Horrocks in her documentary "The Comics Show", screened at the New Zealand Film Festival in 2007.Cite web|url=http://comicbookfactory.blogspot.com/2007/07/comics-show-new-documentary.html|title=Robyn Kenealy interviewed in The Comics Show|accessdate=2008-02-07|work=The Comicbook Factory]

References