Portrait of Devonport poet for library

6 May 2003

Glenda Randerson's portrait of prominent Devonport poet and writer Kevin Ireland from her series "The Face of the Writer" has been gifted to North Shore Libraries to be hung in its Devonport Library. The picture, which features the author sitting in a Victorian reading chair in the front room of his Devonport Villa was bought for the library by the Becroft Foundation, the Devonport Library Associates and the Friends of the Takapuna Library. The artist Glenda Randerson unveiled the portrait at a function held at the library on Monday May 3. North Shore's deputy mayor Dianne Hale said libraries were always keen to honour and acknowledge authors, particularly "local identities they considered their own". "Kevin Ireland has lived in our city for many years and is part of a grand tradition of literature our city can be proud of. Putting this portrait on display in the library will enable our members to become better acquainted with the writer," she says. Kevin Ireland is the author of 14 books of poems a collection of short stories, three novels, a book on the New Zealand novel and a memoir. He has received a National Book Award for Poetry, a Montana Award for History and Biography, an OBE for services to literature and an Honorary Doctorate from Massey University.

North Shore City already owns a bust of Frank Sargeson by sculptor Anthony Stones and a painting of Betty Curnow by Christine Smith.