The Suter Art Gallery

The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū is a memorial to the second Bishop of Nelson, Andrew Burn Suter (1830-1895). Bishop Suter and his wife Amelia travelled to Nelson in 1867 to lead the Anglican diocese and they became major figures in early Nelson society. In addition to his official duties, Bishop Suter also busied himself with artistic pursuits as a recreational painter and collector of art. In 1889 he established the Bishopdale Sketching Club (now the Nelson Suter Art Society) and served as its first President and critic. He was also a friend of the painter John Gully (1819-1888) and developed a substantial collection of that artist’s work.