The Kilns at Te Horo

Visit this exciting place, centred around Mirek Smíšek, an internationally celebrated ceramic artist, and his hand-built bee-hive kilns.

As a consequence of the route chosen for the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway, and to save them, the kilns were relocated 20 metres east of their original location; but still on the same land parcel. Potter Duncan Shearer and master brick layer Rick Meade worked together to dismantle and rebuild the kilns and flue. The kilns are now unable to be used to fire pottery, but function as a memorial to Mirek Smíšek's artistry and his life and work at Te Horo from 1969 to 1997.

As well as visiting the working-artist in residence, there is the opportunity to enjoy ecologically classified native bush.

Health & Safety

Please contact the event host for health & safety information.

Location

Jim Winiata Lane, Te Horo (off School Road)

Regions

Kāpiti Coast

Tags

Site Tour

Museum

Accessible

Self-Guided

Event times

10am-4pm Sat 9 Nov

Koha

10am-4pm Sun 10 Nov

Koha

The Kilns at Te Horo

A group of local residents saw the opportunity to honour the life and art of Mirek Smíšek, an internationally celebrated ceramic artist who lived and worked at Te Horo from 1969 to 1997, by creating a multi-cultural arts centre when work began on the Ōtaki -Peka Peka section of the expressway (SH1). With community and other support, a charitable entity, The Mirek Smíšek Arts Trust, was formally established in 2019.

The Discover Kāpiti Heritage Group

The Discover Kāpiti Heritage Group is formed by the Paekākāriki Station Museum, Steam Incorporated, Wellington Tramway Museum (at Queen Elizabeth Park), Kapiti US Marines Trust (at Queen Elizabeth Park), Museum of Aviation (Kāpiti Road, Paraparaumu), Southward Car Museum (in Otaihanga), the Kāpiti Coast Museum (in Waikanae), Mahara Gallery , The Kilns at Te Horo, Ōtaki Museum and Friends of Ōtaki Rotunda. Representatives of these organisations meet regularly and each year coordinate the Kāpiti Coast Heritage Clue Hunt and facilitate Kāpiti Coast Heritage participation in the Wellington Heritage Festival.

Website: http://www.kapitiheritage.org.nz/