The decades that passed by the front window of 263 Parnell Road saw Sally steadily nurture, evolve and expand the gallery. The result of which has shaped an art gallery with a solid reputation for building lasting and meaningful relationships with its clients and its stable of artists; both established and emerging.
Established in 1976, Parnell Gallery is one of New Zealand’s longest standing dealer galleries, representing and exhibiting a diverse range of established contemporary New Zealand painters, sculptors, and printmakers.
Throughout the years the gallery has shaped a solid reputation for bringing New Zealand art to the foreground, offering an engaging and insightful experience for national and international collectors. Presenting monthly exhibitions and regularly showing a curated selection of artworks across its two gallery spaces, the gallery is housed within a beautiful heritage building located in the heart of Parnell, Auckland.
The first floor gallery hosts monthly exhibitions, while the street level space features permanent stock work by artists from all over New Zealand including original paintings, sculptures and limited edition prints.
History
Established in 1976 by Sally Souness at age 23, Parnell Gallery started life as the Hang Up Gallery. 1996 saw the gallery rebrand and has since been known as it is today, with Sally remaining at the helm.
In 2011, Sally’s daughter Anna returned from London where she had specialised in project management, client services, and corporate event management, experiences proven to be indispensable both within her initial role as Gallery Manager and her current position alongside Sally as Director and joint owner of Parnell Gallery.
Meet The Team
Sally
Director
In 1976, at the age of 23, Sally established Parnell Gallery, initially called Hang Up Gallery. Expanding both her stable of artists and the gallery space over the ensuing twenty years, in 1996 she rebranded as Parnell Gallery. Sally has chosen to deal solely in New Zealand art and presents a varied exhibition schedule that continues to promote both emerging and established New Zealand artists. Now with over 40 years in the art industry dealing with collectors, clients, and artists she offers a wealth of experience and knowledge in the New Zealand art market.
While continuing to maintain her strong relationships with artists and clients worldwide, Sally heads the curation of Parnell Gallery’s viewing spaces and exhibitions, as well as providing a specialist framing service since 1976.
Sally holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Art History from Auckland University.
Anna
Director
Anna joined Parnell Gallery in the role of Gallery Manager in 2011 before becoming co-Director and joint owner in 2016. Anna manages Parnell Gallery’s operations and marketing and is particularly dedicated in offering to all clients an exceptional experience.
Prior to joining Parnell Gallery, Anna worked in London as Head of Corporate Events for the European region at investment bank, Macquarie, and later as a Project Manager within the construction industry. Eventually the pull of the Gallery was too strong, and she returned home to join her mother, Sally, at the helm to manage Parnell Gallery. The combination of Anna’s upbringing, surrounded by art and artists, and her professional background in project management, corporate events and client management, has provided valuable experience for this dynamic role.
Anna holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Marketing and Management from the University of Auckland.
Laura
Gallery Manager
Laura joined the gallery team in 2024 as Gallery Manager, bringing to the role a passion for contemporary NZ art alongside the development of her own ceramic practice. Laura comes from a luxury sales and client relationship background – prior to joining the gallery, Laura curated and delivered all aspects of bespoke VIP guest experiences at Cloudy Bay Vineyards in Marlborough. Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Art History and English Literature from the University of Auckland.
Belinda
Marketing Manager
Belinda joined the Parnell Gallery team in 2021 with 20 years of marketing experience between hotels, travel, tourism, construction and now the arts.
“My greatest pleasure in my role is working with our incredibly talented artists to share their unique stories and engaging with clients and followers on our social channels who resonate with our works.
One of my career highlights is working for the main sponsor of the Monet and the Impressionists exhibitions which was held at Te Papa in 2009 – this fostered a fascination for the arts and was the first time it really solidified how important the art, artists and their history is in this world. A moment in my life I’ll never forget is after hosting a breakfast and private viewing, watching from the top of the Te Papa atrium as the doors opened and a wave of visitors ran to view the exhibition.”
Rebecca
Art Consultant (Part Time)
Joining Parnell Gallery in 2017, Rebecca has immersed herself in her role as Art Consultant. Together with her in-depth knowledge of Parnell Gallery’s stable of artists and artworks and her enthusiasm for arts facilitation; Rebecca creates an insightful and engaging experience for clients worldwide, whether online or visiting the gallery.
Rebecca graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Art and Design from Eastern Institute of Technology in 2017 having majored in Visual Art and Curation. It was over the course of her degree that her passion for arts facilitation and curation was ignited. In the years prior, Rebecca maintained her own arts practice while engaging with various creative and customer focused roles amongst Wellington’s vibrant arts community.
Megan
Technician & Photography (Part Time)
Megan has worked at Parnell Gallery since 2018. As well as client services and communications, and supporting the day-to-day operations of the Gallery, Megan is also our resident photographer and enjoys using Photoshop to edit images and help clients visualise artworks in their own homes.
Prior to joining Parnell Gallery, Megan spent seven years living in London and Berlin working in a diverse range of creative roles, as well as developing her own art practice. She returned to Aotearoa in September 2018 and maintains a studio practice on Auckland’s Queen Street.
Megan holds a BFA majoring in painting from the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts.