The club was formed on February 11th 1965 and has met regularly since then. Several eminent artists have demonstrated to the club including Garth Tapper, Louise Henderson, Colin McCahon, RN Field, Pat Hanley, Russel Hollings and Randal Fruode.
In 1969 TJ McNamara gave a talk on his work as art critic for the New Zealand Herald.
Exhibitions were held regularly at various locations. The club also participated in several civic celebrations – Howick 125th Celebration in 1972, Howick Festival of Arts in 1994 and the 150th Fencible Celebrations in 1997.
In summer an outdoor painting group met on Thursday mornings to paint local scenes. In winter a portrait painting group met for the challenge of completing a painting in two hours. The sitter was given the paintings.
Six to eight weekend workshops of one or two days were held, tutored by the demonstrators and three or four day exhibitions of member’s paintings were held four times annually. Also on the First Saturday of every month there was an exhibition at the Information Centre, in Picton Street, Howick. An annual competitive Winter Exhibition was held.
PRESIDENTS 1964 – 2014
1964-66 Bruce Robinson
1967-68 Val Wallace
1969 Jim Walker
1970-72 Joan Batkin
1973-74 Angela Caughey
1975-77 Dick Jones
1978-80 Keith Snow
1981-82 Dawn Mosheim
1983 Frank Hartwell
1984-85 Ivy Hartwell
1986 Pam Phillips
1987 Janet Philo
1988-90 Jim Whelan
1991-92 Janet Philo
1993-94 Joan Hickman
1995 Beryl Bettis
1996-98 David Sabourin
1999-2000 Keith Snow
2001 Sue Waugh
2002-03 John Horton
2004 Lesley Melhuish
2005-10 John Heywood
2011-15 Rae McKeown
2016- Margaret Routen