A head full of books, a heart full of creativity
Published on 29 July 2026
At just 10 years old, James Oh-Stephan may be one of the Ōamaru Public Library’s and Forrester Gallery’s biggest fans.
He has combined two great loves into one project — and his artwork has been selected as the George Burns Memorial Art Exhibition Hero Image for this year. His winning work, James with his Head Full of Books, was created in art class and was a solo effort this time. Last year, his art class entered a group project: a dragon, made out of paper and cardboard.
One of the most popular showcases of the year, the George Burns Memorial Art Exhibition celebrates children’s artwork and is a busy time for the Gallery.
James said he was “pretty proud” to receive this recognition and believes having young people submit their work broadens the viewer experience.
It shows what young people can do at such a young age, he said, and without the Burns exhibition, it “could be a bit boring”.
James’ selected work is certainly not boring. In it, he has summed up his two loves remarkably well.
“I like books and we did a drawing of our heads and decided to put something in them, what we like, and then I put it full of books — different series, different shapes and sizes.”
Most weeks, the well-spoken Weston School student can be found hunting out new books at the public library or checking out new art collections at the Forrester. In fact, he reckons he would not come into town much if he did not have the Library and Gallery to visit.
So, what makes the Forrester Gallery & Mahika Kai Mahika Toi so special? In James’ world, it is an easy one to answer: “There’s so many different things to explore in the Gallery now that there’s another whole building to explore.”
He also sees it as aspirational, giving people the courage and motivation to become artists themselves.
“There’s a lot of paintings. I love the shapes and sizes of the paintings.”
For James, the creative process is pretty simple. He enjoys drawing and does it a lot. If he likes a sketch, he might take it further by painting it.
He uses acrylic or watercolour, although he prefers acrylic because he finds it easier to use. “And at least it has a texture,” he said.
The young creative does not know if he wants to be an artist when he grows up, but one thing is certain: if the Library or Gallery was no longer there, he does not know what he would do, because he loves reading and art.
To see some creativity and support young artists in te rohe o Waitaki, visit the George Burns Memorial Art Exhibition from 1 August to 27 September, 2026.