Metal sculptures, quirky characters, live music, classic cars, and a man cave are all ready to be discovered along the Garden & Art Trail, during the four-day Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival on November 17-20.

Imagine if all this plus a gallery, garden and paintings were at just one of the 74 garden and art stops. This is exactly the case, thanks to sculptor Clive Armstrong and abstract artist Angela McKenzie. Their Grey Warbler Gallery is an art stop within a very large country garden.

'We even have a band playing on the Saturday,” says Angela. 'It's my son's band – The Leeds.

The Leeds will be playing at Grey Warbler Gallery on Saturday November 19, Photo: Supplied.

"They were called The Leeds Experience and played The Who music. But they've shortened it to The Leeds, and they're getting into The Doors at the moment. '

The four band members, all in their early 20s, have been together since high school.

Fans of Angela's work will know her abstract resin works.

'The resin makes the colour sing. I start the painting then put the first layer of resin down. Then paint, then resin etc. So that's how you get that three-dimensional depth,” says Angela.

'I also sculpt paper and various other media. I focus more on experimentation, mostly with paper, and play with different ways of using it, rather than just framing it."

Angela McKenzie in her studio. Photo: John Borren.

She loves to go hunting for different papers.

'If I get a parcel in the post and it's wrapped in different coloured papers I go ‘wow'. It's also about recycling.”

She takes inspiration from nature around her.

'I like to use organic shapes based on nature – the colours, forms and patterns. I have a large garden and spend a lot of time in it. If I'm out there weeding and find a skeleton leaf I look at the pattern in that. Or the organic curves and shapes in lichen. So it's not all squares and rectangles. There's so much in nature that can inform your work.”

Arriving at the rural property, there's a walk through the gate onto a path that winds amongst trees, shade-loving plants and roses up to the house where there's a gallery, named for the grey warbler bird that nests and sings nearby.

Walking around the garden, there are more trees, a vegetable plot, unusual perennials and more roses.

'I don't usually following a specific planting plan. I just like what I like. Interesting textures and colours in the garden.”

Clive Armstrong with two of his metal sculptures. Photo: John Borren.

The shed has two sections – one for Clive's work and the other for Angela's.

'I will have resin works, paper works and other weird and wonderful things,” says Angela. People will find the experimenting interesting.

'Clive has been busy making some really cool things for the festival out of metal. People find his work amusing and amazing. They ask 'how did you get that expression?” - from a couple of bolts and hammerheads.”

Clive Armstrong with one of his metal men.

A tall man of steel with a metal dog greets visitors. His arms are made from a flowing stream of spanners, his moustache was once a horse shoe.

'I'll be reluctant to sell him,” says Clive.

Another metal fellow has boots made from fire extinguishers; his body once an expansion chamber off an exhaust from a two-stroke motorbike. The legs are exhaust pipes.

Clive is passionate about his work, and loves to tell the story behind where each piece of metal came from. When he's 'in the zone” working on a specific project, his ‘normal' can be to arrive home from work then busy creating every night.

One of Clive Armstrong's metal dogs.

'I've been making little animal faces, sort of comical looking, smaller than what I usually do. They're riding scooters and the guitar has about a dozen different heads on it,” says Clive.

His lifesize Stratocaster guitar will be up for sale during the festival.

'Both Angela and myself are both collectors of many years, all stuff we like.”

Clive Armstrong's guitar.

They've built a new studio for Angela who sold her first painting at one of the first garden and art festivals, back in the late 80s.

'I'd started to do night classes in watercolour. Selling that painting really ignited my creative journey. It's always a buzz when someone buys your work,” says Angela.

'Clive has been involved for the last ten years, possibly more. I used to sell his corrugated iron chooks. Then he started exhibiting himself. He's so popular, people love his work.”

Transforming metal into characters that come to life – it's no wonder people are drawn to his work.

'We've got the man cave as well filled with all sorts of things. We've got a huge collection of parachuting men, and lots of collectibles. We go to markets and swap meets, find interesting pieces and put them on display in the man cave.”

Some of their friends will be displaying their classic cars at Grey Warbler Gallery during the four-day festival.

'We have a classic car ourselves, there will be a few on display each day. And the band will be playing on Saturday from 3pm – 5pm. If the weather's good they will be on the deck in the garden.”

The Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival's Garden & Art Trail includes an incredible 20 art stops within the 74 garden and art stop trail, along with many artists exhibiting in individual gardens.

The Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival is on November 17-20. A one-day Pass costs $40 and a multi-day festival pass is $65, and both packs include a festival pass, directory and map. Visit: www.gardenandartfestival.co.nz for ticket sales and more information.