Love Heart Social Learning - Auckland

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/the-things-we-leave-behind-stories-value-and-passing-on-the-things-that-matter - Only ticket holders will be admitted

Presenter: Charles Tongue
Title: The Things We Leave Behind: Stories, Value and Passing On the Things That Matter
Abstract: The things we leave behind often carry far more than a monetary value. A painting, photograph, piece of jewellery or collection may hold family history, personal stories and connections that can easily be lost if they aren’t recorded.
Drawing on his experience as a valuation specialist working with estates, collectors and cultural institutions, Charles Tongue will explore how to prepare the possessions that matter to you so they can be properly understood and appreciated by the next generation. He’ll look at provenance, storytelling, valuation and practical ways to identify which items carry financial or emotional significance - as well as those we can give our families permission to simply let go.
Attendees will also be invited to submit details of an item in advance, with selected examples used as case studies during the session. If you’re interested in doing this, please email melissa.fincham@heart.co.nz for more details.
Charles Tongue
Charles Tongue is an experienced art professional with a career spanning dealer galleries, international art fairs, museum collection management and art valuation. He has worked across both the commercial and cultural sectors, supporting artists, curating public programmes and helping institutions manage and make their collections more accessible.
His work has also included the development of digital collection systems, combining an appreciation of heritage with an interest in how technology can help bring museum collections and their stories to wider audiences.
Today, Charles works as a valuation specialist, advising institutions, estates and private collectors on market value, collection management and the long-term stewardship of art and cultural objects. His broad experience gives him a unique perspective on the stories, significance and value that sit behind the objects people collect, inherit and pass on.
With experience across galleries, museums, collections and valuations, Charles brings both practical expertise and a storyteller’s eye to the objects we live with, collect and eventually pass on.

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/the-things-we-leave-behind-stories-value-and-passing-on-the-things-that-matter - Only ticket holders will be admitted

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/king-henry-viii-power-progeniture-and-propaganda - Only ticket holders will be admitted

Presenter: Dr Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal
Title: King Henry VIII: Power, Progeniture, and Propaganda
Abstract: Explore the dramatic reign of King Henry VIII and the events that reshaped England forever. From the rise of the Tudor dynasty to Henry’s relentless pursuit of a male heir, this session examines the political ambition, marriages, betrayals, and power struggles that led to the English Reformation and transformed English society. Alongside the historical events, we will also explore how portraiture and visual imagery were used as powerful tools of propaganda to shape Henry’s public image and reinforce royal authority.
Dr Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal
Dr. Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal, Ph.D., M.Phil., B.Art.Th., is an art and cultural historian, critical theorist, academic researcher and publisher, on intersections between art, architecture, design, fashion, film, costume, subculture, society, religion, and psychoanalytical anthropology, with over twenty years’ involvement in the arts sector, including lecturing, teaching, editorial management, and curatorial practice. She has held senior positions at leading tertiary institutions in Australia and New Zealand, such as the University of New South Wales, and Auckland University of Technology; has guest lectured at Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland Museum, and Whitecliffe College; and presented at international academic conferences in the United Kingdom and Mexico. Her formal qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Material Culture, Master of Philosophy with First-class Honours in Art and Design Theory, and a Bachelor of Art Theory with Distinction Honours in Art History. She is professionally acknowledged as an expert in her fields of research, having been officially ranked by the Humanities and Law panel of the New Zealand Government’s Tertiary Education Commission as a specialist in History of Art, History, Classics, and Curatorial Studies.

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/king-henry-viii-power-progeniture-and-propaganda - Only ticket holders will be admitted

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/the-art-of-paper-flowers - Only ticket holders will be admitted

Presenter: Catherine Rhodes
Title: The Art of Paper Flowers
Abstract: Catherine will take us behind the scenes of her creative process, showing how simple sheets of crepe paper can be cut, shaped, stretched and layered into remarkably lifelike - and sometimes wonderfully oversized - flowers. Along the way she’ll share the techniques, tools and creative thinking behind her work, with plenty of opportunities for guests to get hands-on and have a go themselves. The session is designed to be relaxed, inspiring and full of colour, creativity and practical techniques.
Catherine Rhodes
Catherine Rhodes is the founder and creative force behind The Pretty Collective, an Auckland-based studio known for its striking handmade paper flowers, oversized floral installations and creative workshops. Working with crepe paper as her medium, Catherine transforms simple sheets of paper into intricate botanical forms - from delicate individual blooms to large-scale flowers created for events, brand activations and special installations.
Alongside her commissioned work, Catherine loves sharing the creative process with others. Her workshops are designed to make creativity feel approachable and enjoyable, helping people discover the satisfaction of making something beautiful by hand - even if they don’t consider themselves naturally artistic. Her work combines craftsmanship, colour and imagination with a wonderfully playful sense of scale.

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/the-art-of-paper-flowers - Only ticket holders will be admitted

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/william-morris-and-his-circle-anti-industrialisation-nostalgia-sustainability - Only ticket holders will be admitted

Presenter: Dr Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal
Title: William Morris and His Circle: Anti-Industrialisation, Nostalgia & Sustainability
Abstract: This session examines the backlash against the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries by prominent architects, artists, designers, and craftspeople of the Victorian period. Central to this reaction was William Morris, who led his followers in challenging the rise of mechanical mass‑production and its effects on health, the environment, and quality of life. Advocating a return to an idyllic pre‑industrial past, the group expressed both nostalgic yearning and a revival of high‑quality, handmade, non‑pollutive methods of manufacture, laying early foundations for modern notions of sustainability and protection of the planet.
Dr Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal
Dr. Kathryn A. Hardy Bernal, Ph.D., M.Phil., B.Art.Th., is an art and cultural historian, critical theorist, academic researcher and publisher, on intersections between art, architecture, design, fashion, film, costume, subculture, society, religion, and psychoanalytical anthropology, with over twenty years’ involvement in the arts sector, including lecturing, teaching, editorial management, and curatorial practice. She has held senior positions at leading tertiary institutions in Australia and New Zealand, such as the University of New South Wales, and Auckland University of Technology; has guest lectured at Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland Museum, and Whitecliffe College; and presented at international academic conferences in the United Kingdom and Mexico. Her formal qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Material Culture, Master of Philosophy with First-class Honours in Art and Design Theory, and a Bachelor of Art Theory with Distinction Honours in Art History. She is professionally acknowledged as an expert in her fields of research, having been officially ranked by the Humanities and Law panel of the New Zealand Government’s Tertiary Education Commission as a specialist in History of Art, History, Classics, and Curatorial Studies.

Paid Event - Tickets Required - https://www.heart.co.nz/event/william-morris-and-his-circle-anti-industrialisation-nostalgia-sustainability - Only ticket holders will be admitted