Sylvia Marsters

Sylvia Lolita Cathrine Marsters (born 1962) is a New Zealand artist of Cook Islands descent. In 2003, she received a residency in the Cook Islands from Creative New Zealand, and she has exhibited in Rarotonga many times since, as well as in New Zealand, Fiji and New York. Her exhibitions draw big crowds in the Cook Islands.

Early life and family
Marsters was born in Auckland in 1962. Her father was from Aitutaki, and her parents had moved to New Zealand in 1952. She grew up in the Auckland suburb of Ōtara, and was educated at Auckland Seventh-day Adventist High School in Māngere Bridge. After leaving school, she worked as a machinist in a clothing factory, and attended evening art classes. She married Early Marsters, whose family came from Palmerston Island and Mangaia, and the couple established a sewing business based in their home, making casual and children's clothing incorporating Māori and Pasifika designs.

Art career
Marsters was encouraged to pursue art by one of her instructors, Lois McIvor, and she also helped her sister, a teacher, with art classes at her old school. She began exhibiting in about 1996, with the subject of her paintings being the flora, fauna, scenery and life in the Cook Islands, although she had never visited there. In 1998, Ian George curated Paringa Ou, the first major exhibition of contemporary art by Cook Island artists residing in New Zealand featuring artists such as Ani O'Neill, Sylvia Marsters, Mahiriki Tangaroa, Michel Tuffery, Jim Vivieaere, Ian George, and Kay George, the exhibition travelled to the Fiji Museum, the Cook Islands National Museum, as well as the Gus Fisher Gallery in Auckland. The exhibition was partly sponsored by the New Zealand High Commission in Rarotonga.

In 2003, the Pacific Arts Committee of Creative New Zealand awarded Marsters the Cook Islands Artist's Residency. During her three-month residency in Rarotonga, Marsters met art dealer Ben Bergman, and developed a close relationship that eventually led to her 2014 solo exhibition at VOLTA NY in New York City. Prior to VOLTA NY, Marsters was in a group exhibition, MANUIA, co-curated by Mahiriki Tangaroa and Ben Bergman in downtown New York City in 2010, exhibiting with artists Mike Tavioni, Michel Tuffery, Andy Leleisi'uao, Kay George, Jerome Shedden, and Mahikiri Tangaroa.

Following her residency in Rarotonga, Marsters returned and exhibited there many times, and a retrospective exhibition of her work, E Moemoea Naku 2, was held there in 2023.

Residencies

 * 2003 – Cook Islands Artist's Residency by the Pacific Arts Committee of Creative New Zealand

Selected solo exhibitions

 * 2023: E Moemoea Naku 2, Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga
 * 2022: E Moemoea Naku - A Dream of Mine, Bergman Gallery, Auckland
 * 2014: New Yorkers don’t see Flowers, BCA Gallery (now Bergman Gallery), VOLTA New York
 * 2003: Te Ruperupe O Toku Ipukarea, Cook Islands National Museum

Selected group exhibitions

 * 2023: Te Vaerua O Te Va'ine - Our Mother's Hands, Bergman Gallery, Auckland
 * 2022: Te Atuitanga Beneath Our Cloak of Stars, Bergman Gallery, Auckland
 * 2010: MANUIA, BCA Gallery (now Bergman Gallery), the American Indian Community House, New York, United States of America
 * 2008: Cross-Currents, Matakana Gallery, Matakana
 * 2007: Te Manea O Rarotonga, Reef Gallery, Auckland
 * 2007: Pacific Rhythm, Waiheke Art Gallery, Auckland
 * 2006: Frangipani Lush, The Edge/Aotea Centre, Auckland
 * 1998: Paringa Ou, Cook Islands National Museum
 * 1998: Paringa Ou, Fiji Museum
 * 1998: Paringa Ou, Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland