The Secret Keeper

‘The Secret Keeper’ was borne by sculptor and survivor Catherine Daniels and will feature in our Main & Small galleries for this year’s HB Arts Festival over the next three weeks, 6 – 26 October 2023.  

Catherine has created over 70 sculptures and published a book, with photographs by award winning photographer Esther Bunning, to embrace the important conversations to help others navigate their own journey of healing around issues of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, mental health and eating disorders. Napier’s exhibition contains special guest works by Frances Rookes.    

Catherine will be in residence at CAN throughout the exhibition to listen, share and support visitors on their own journeys.  Please read on for an insight into her story of how she has used her creativity to shine light on the often hidden away acts and impacts of childhood trauma to help other survivors throughout NZ and beyond. 

This exhibition is the story of Catherine Daniel’s childhood trauma and sexual abuse kept secret for years. It wasn’t until she was nearly 50 that she realised her secrets made her unwell.  After her mother died, she decided to learn to write.  That first meeting with author, Joan Rosier-Jones, changed her life forever.  She started to unfold the layers of her history through words, many of them in metaphorical form.  She joined a writers’ group which supported her in her journey through the complexities of understanding her own mental-health issues.

One day she couldn’t write, so decided to make a sculpture to portray what she couldn’t say in words. That day The Secret Keeper exhibition was born.  By creating these sculptures and metaphors, she slowly unfolded her past in a way she was able to control.  Each of the forty sculptures tells their own story.  Through her works, Catherine Daniels hopes to start the important conversations needed to help others navigate their own journeys of healing through childhood trauma, parental neglect, sexual abuse and mental health issues.

With support from Creative Communities NZ, Exhibitions Gallery of Fine Art in Wellington and the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival, please join Catherine and her guests for the opening of this powerful show on Friday, 6th October 5 – 7pm.