A first chance to be proud
Published on 16 September 2026
Astrophotographer Damien McNamara knows firsthand the value the George Burns Memorial Art Exhibition can bring to young, budding artists.
He recalls his Standard Three (Year 7) teacher at St Joseph’s, Ms Brady, praising the artwork he had done for his first Burns exhibition.
“I think it was an old car. I went a bit over the top and drew the tread on the tyres and the lettering on the tyres.
“And I got really heavy on the detail and she was like, ‘Wow, you’re really good. You’re a really good drawer’.”
That was his first experience of Burns and his first memory of art at school.
“It’s just one of those moments that has stuck with me throughout all my artwork, whether it’s been drawing, promoting, or photography. It’s that one comment from one teacher that sent me on that path.”
As Damien says, it starts with teachers encouraging kids, and families engaging with artistic pursuits too.
Creativity played a big part in his family. His grandmother Mary was an amazing drawer, as was his dad Danny, he said.
He and his brother Karl grew up immersed in art. It was a natural part of everyday life, and they have passed that passion on to their children.
Looking back, he knows those early experiences influenced the creative path he has taken in life.
“It’s a positive influence and a positive influence can be a powerful mechanism for the different paths people take, whether it be becoming a farmer, going down an artistic route, or going into a specific profession.”
He believes the Burns Memorial Art Exhibition is one of the only things outside sport that all schools get involved in, whether private schools, primary schools, kindergartens or home-schooled children. It’s something for all ages and all backgrounds.
“And it just causes us all to come together.
“We’re talking about decades now, and it still happens, no matter what. It’s one of those things that doesn’t necessarily rely on funding or outsourcing or anything like that.
“It’s a collaborative effort every single year, and for it to stay in the same location as well — it’s a legacy, especially in this day and age, when you see certain events and different things falling over for different reasons.”
“It’s one of those exhibitions that is usually the first dabble for kids to be able to get their artworks in front of people. And not just that: they get to take their family, they get to take their friends, they get to come along, and in the process of coming and seeing the art, they get to see other artwork as well.”
If he had any advice for children entering the exhibition today, it would be to do what you want. He knows schools have a curriculum and certain things have to be reached, “but if you feel passionate enough that you want to do something, do it”.
“And it’s learning in itself. It’s, you know, giving them the first chance, really, to be proud of something and actually have it on a stage, as opposed to being good at running or getting a good score.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’ve got it down or not. Just give it a nudge and give it to the exhibition.”
The George Burns Memorial Art Exhibition 2026 closes on September 27 so don’t miss out on your chance to see our wonderful young Waitaki talent on display.
Impressed by all the talent
Ōamaru astrophotographer Damien McNamara looked carefully at the 2026 George Burns Memorial Art Exhibition entries on display at the Forrester Gallery & Mahika Kai Mahika Toi and was impressed by what he saw.
Some of the works done in ballpoint pen reminded him of how his father, Danny, drew.
“He didn’t like drawing in pencil and he didn’t believe in mistakes.
“But these are very much the way Dad used to draw, and it’s quite cool to see that style in an exhibition like this. It’s quite cool because, even though it’s ballpoint pen, the shading and the texture and everything they’ve got in the image — from the shading around the wall and under the eaves, to the details in the actual bends on the top of the wall, down to the trees — is impressive.”
And, of course, the astronomer was particularly attracted to the planets on display, some of which even had light-up stars.
“It’s just really cool. The kids have gone to this kind of level of imagination to tell the story, even with the stars in there. And to see sculpture involved as a new medium — even looking at the planets, the kids made sure they got it right scientifically as well.”
He really enjoyed the tukutuku panels too.
“It’s telling a story as well. They’re taking two or three different mediums, adding them together to tell the story of what they’re trying to get across. And that’s fantastic in itself. It’s awesome.”
It’s also important for kids to be able to show their cultural identity through their art.
“It’s kind of a weird one for me, because I grew up without my Māori culture. It’s only been in the last five to ten years that I’ve … sort of branched away from my European heritage and dived literally headfirst into it, whether it be around Māori astronomy or learning te reo Māori, or learning the different meanings of the designs that you actually turn into different things.”
“That’s been very rewarding for me, to now even be involved with whānau work. But kids these days all know their heritage. Like, I knew I was Māori from a very early age, but I didn’t know how or where. For kids to actually have it in their artworks and display it and be proud of it — it’s basically saying, ‘This is who I am. This is what I’m proud of’.”
For Damien, going through everything in the Burns exhibition was like a mixed menu.
“It’s not just drawing, it’s not just photography, it’s not just printmaking. It’s also sculpting and making solar systems — it’s about being creative and just having that artistic licence to do what you want and do what you feel, make yourself feel cool, get everything across the line, and just have fun doing it.”
* Damien McNamara is a familiar face in Waitaki, known for sharing his passion for astronomy, astrophotography and mātauraka Māori with the community.