Adrienne Rewi started painting seriously when she joined a night class and the Pakuranga Art Society. with Marjorie Barley as her tutor. She came to Palmerston North with her husband Peter and three sons in January 1979 and held her first exhibition of 26 watercolours at Anthony's Gallery, Palmerston North, on 8-19 October, 1979, in conjunction with Levin artist Desmond Comyn.