pulsemedia, Author at Aotearoa Artist

Alan Waters

1 January 2014
Abstract, Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Contemporary Art, Featured Artists, Illustration, Nature, Painting, Still-life, Surrealism, Watercolour

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

Mistakes are wonderful learning tools – if one analyses the process honestly and comes out the other end more determined than ever.

This is the personal philosophy of Alan Waters who has been described as New Zealand’s answer to Rene Magritte, a Belgian painter and one of the leading figures of the Surrealist movement. In fact one of Alan’s favourite pieces of art is `Clairvoyance (Self Portrait) 1936’ by Magritte. He says this image was one of many that really excited him and started his career as a full-time artist 19 years ago.

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Bernd Huss

1 January 2014
Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Coloured Pencils, Featured Artists, Landscape, Painting, Realism, Seascape

MOMENT IN TIME

For someone who has not had any formal training and who only started taking his craft seriously two years ago, Bernd Huss has attained an extremely high standard and received numerous accolades for his work.

As long as he can remember Bernd has enjoyed drawing. At first he restricted himself to copying photographs of people from magazines always trying to capture as much detail as possible.

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Tanya Finlayson

1 January 2014
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Carving, Enamel, Featured Artists, Figures, Kiwiana, Painting, Realism

CARVING A NEW FASHION

“Have a goal, have something to achieve and then go and fulfill it. It always a nice feeling to look back on the journey of how you realised your dreams.”

So says Tanya Short, who some may remember as Tanya Finlayson making and selling handmade jewellery and sewing children’s clothing at the Whangarei markets.

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Mark Jones

1 January 2014
Abstract, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Carving, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Installation, Nature, Sculpture

DOODLEWOOD

“I call my work doodlewood because that’s what it is, literally doodling with wood”

Mark Jones’s organic sculptures are shaped by the wood he is working with: “I enjoy having the gift of being able to see an ordinary piece of wood and visualise it being a piece of art.”

Mark started at the Stevenson Brothers Rocking Horse Makers, UK, assembling wooden horses in the factory for a year when the opportunity to learn how to carve the horses arose.

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Matt Diamond

1 December 2013
Abstract, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Figures, Graffiti, Murals, Painting, Portraits, Street Art

Matt in action

MATT DIAMOND EXPRESSIVE

Throughout his life, Matt Diamond has had an interest in drawing, endeavouring to put to paper that which he saw, developing his talent through the years. He travelled Europe and the Middle East for four years, returning to New Zealand to train at Aucklands Freelance Animation Studio.

After working in 2 and 3 dimensional animation and spending time doing animation for Maori TV, he realised his creativity didn’t really flourish in an office environment and decided to start travelling again. Whilst in central America he spent time sketching people in cafés, without them knowing, and then presenting them with the drawing when they had finished their meal. Sometimes he just made a new friend, other times the unwitting model would buy him a meal or tip him. However, although this was entertaining, it did not satisfy his overwhelming urge to create huge artworks.

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Kim Kerr

1 November 2013
Abstract, Acrylic, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Mixed Media, Painting, Realism, Still-life, Symbolism

STORY TELLING

Kim Kerr has enjoyed drawing and painting from an early age and expressed a keen interest in studying further. When her art teacher at high school tried to discourage her saying she couldn’t do Fine Arts Prelim in Form 7, she decided to prove him wrong, and enrolled at Art School.

She spent three years at Otago Polytechnic where she obtained a Distinction in a Fine & Applied Arts Diploma. After completing this diploma, Kim went on to study at Teachers College. She spent several years as Head of Art Departments at various secondary schools, teaching art, design and history of art.

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Karen Neal

1 November 2013
Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Drawing, Featured Artists, Ink, Oils, Scratchboard

SCRATCHING THE SURFACE

Karen Neal is a self-taught artist who, on leaving school, intended studying a fine arts or graphics course, but instead opted to work in the newspaper industry. She spent three years travelling to countries such as Africa, Japan, Switzerland and the UK, returning to New Zealand to work in a variety of administration and graphics roles.

It was in 2009, in her early 40’s, when Karen was stressing over a leaky home, that she picked up a pencil and drew a giraffe. A stress relief perhaps, but one that began a four year evolution, and now she is a full time artist. “I love all aspects of being an artist, it’s a dream come true to finally take it up full-time. I still pinch myself. I knew this was my passion, I finally found my niche, although it took a while to have the confidence to put myself out there and call myself an artist.”

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Sandra Whyte

1 November 2013
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Featured Artists, Hyper Realism, Oils, Painting

CAPTURING MEMORIES OF LIFE

After a few life-changing events, Sandra Whyte found time on her hands and decided to try her hand at painting. She took some night classes, and discovered she had a real talent and eye for detail. In a short space of time she began selling her artwork and completing commissions. The allure of being an artist full time led her to resign from her position as a bank officer, which she had held for 28 years. She feels this is the best decision she has ever made.

Sandra has found that being largely self-taught can raise issues in the budding artists career. “Having a ‘name’ seems to take precedence above quality in the art world. This seems to become more of an issue as my career develops. I am breaking through this barrier now, thanks to opportunities created by select clients and galleries having a belief in my abilities. I have had to hang on to small achievements and push sceptics aside.”

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Aaron Hoskings

1 November 2013
Abstract, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Carving, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Installation, Maori, Nature, Oils, Painting, Sculpture

THE URGE TO CREATE

Aaron Hoskins has completed a large commissioned work and finds it very interesting to meet his clients’ wishes. He is creating a series of carved and painted oars that are based on his own historical Maori research on Northland, enjoying the combination of Maori and European influences and reflecting on New Zealand history.

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Vicki Leeuwenburg

1 November 2013
Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Figures, Oils, Painting, Realism

A QUIET LIFE

Born in New Plymouth and now living in Ngararatunua, Whangarei, Vicki Leeuwenburg took up her passion for art once her children had left the nest. Once she had the time to focus completely she became consumed with her art. She has never really had any formal training, apart from attending Aroha Paora’s art classes for three years at Reyburn House. We asked Vicki what she loved most about being an artist.

“When I look at a painting I like, I ask myself what it is about that painting which draws me to it. For me colour is a very important component and it tends to be a very emotional thing. I love bold vibrant colours, but the combination of colours is also important. The way the play on light is used to make contrasts between light and dark creates an impact, which also draws me to it."

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