Bernard Aris Memorial Seat - 1980

This stone seat situated on Marsland Hill/Pukaka, New Plymouth was erected in 1980 to honour Bernard Aris.

Bernard Ford Aris emigrated to New Zealand from Surrey, England in 1922 where he had been a bank clerk.

During World War I he was a  radio operator in the Merchant Navy and was twice torpedoed. He first came to New Zealand in 1908 and had previously visited New Plymouth in 1919.  It was at this time that his lifetime affection for Mt Taranaki/Egmont was established.

On arrival in Taranaki he worked at North Egmont and as a farm worker at Okato while establishing himself as a painter.

Although he painted a wide range of subjects, especially trees, ships and the sea, the heart of his art was the mountain.

A dedicated amateur astronomer he became the patron of the New Plymouth Astronomical Society in 1970.

In 1972, New Plymouth recognised Aris’ contribution to Taranaki by bestowing upon him the Freedom of the City.

After his death in 1977 his ashes were scattered on the slopes of the mountain that came to dominate his life.

The plaque reads:

In Memory of

BERNARD FORD

ARIS

1887 - 1977

The Painter of

Mount Egmont