Dawn Barry’s father had a profound effect on her interest in art from a very young age. She studied art at Auckland Girls Grammar and gained the Fine Arts Prelim. She went on to Elam Art School in 1969, but decided to spend some time travelling and gaining life experience instead of studying, which she duly did.
Dawn found that having a career as an artist was the most enjoyable way of making a living. She spent some time screenprinting T-shirts and selling then whilst living on Stewart Island for twelve years in the 70s and 80s, moving on to painting full time, selling all over New Zealand as well as Stewart Island. She now lives in Riverton, on the wild, west coast of the South Island, where she has been for the past 20 years. The beautiful birds, plants and landscapes inspire her creative soul and she is appalled by the circumstances endangering these precious species. Initially inspired by Rita Angus, Don Binney and Robin White and Wolf Kahn, she spent many years going to Summer Schools in Whanganui, Winter Schools at the Southland Polytech and attended many seminars with the likes of Julia Faithful, Nigel Brown, Paul van den Bergh and John Scott, amongst others. She feels all these artists were instrumental in her artistic development. The freedom to express herself just as she wishes and to celebrate the things she holds precious is what she loves most about being an artist. She enjoys exploring different methods and mediums and finds it boring to stick to one style for long.
Email us for Dawn's contact details: TNZAM Editor.
