On at the moment are excellent shows at Jonathan Smart, Chambers, Papergraphica, and ABC. Jonathan is showing some truly impressive interior and still life paintings by Jude Rae, who is at the top of her game. Robin Neate has taken a more abstract approach to the still life genre at Chambers, while Marian Maguire has a skilled suite of lithographs on show at Papergraphica (a show which is concurrently showing at Sargeant Gallery in Whanganui and touring to various other venues next year). Sebastian Warne takes a different route altogether, utilising plywood, toy train tracks, and polythene at ABC Gallery in Addington.

It's fantastic that such a range of exhibitions are available – and they are by no means the only things on show in ChCh – and I couldn't help but think how fortunate those galleries are to be green-stickered and in a position to open their doors. That said, Jonathan Smart is of course operating out of temporary quarters (though his utilisation of the space remains faultless), Chambers was a direct – and successful – response to the loss of other galleries, and Papergraphica appears to have a few cracks in the ceiling. If you're in need of some fine (art) company, they are all within a short drive of each other. And hopefully when our own doors reopen down the line there will be an opportunity at some point to quietly contemplate our own Rae's and Maguire's.