ABOVE: Curious, 250 X 300mm, Watercolour

TALENTED WHISPERS

“I am driven by a deep passion for expressing my creativity, recognising beauty in nature, capturing and showcasing different perspectives. Art is an area where you can continuously learn over time.” So says Jane Tian, a self-taught artist from Gulf Harbour.

With her creative soul fuelled by love, curiosity and wonder, Jane is driven by the joy of creating something from nothing. “I find my inspiration in the natural world. I am touched by nature, by the patterns of leaves and flowers, the play of light on water, the colourful sky, and subtle harmonies often guide my creative choices, whether I’m painting with watercolour or shaping paper in my quilling work. Nature reminds me that beauty doesn’t have to shout – it whispers.”

Formerly trained as a pastry chef, Jane especially loves making fondant cakes. “When I saw someone painting their cakes, I fell in love with that straight away. I began to try watercolour painting back in 2019. I was following a few tutors on the internet, and practicing almost everyday. It was a chance viewing of a video about quilling in 2023 that led me to research and experiment more with quilling. I found that it is a very special art, using minimal tools, but maximum creativity. I have since watched a lot of videos and pictures, trying to use paper strips to express different feelings, relationships and depths. Activities include design, paper selection, frame making, drawing, rolling and placement. I love integrating different elements in my projects. I am really enjoying watercolour painting and quilling. I don’t set too many goals, other than ensuring I prioritise time to keep exploring.”

With a Masters degree in business, Jane loves being a part-time tutor at the Estuary Arts Centre, passing on her knowledge, insights and experiences as well as meeting other artists. “My work has been exhibited at galleries in Wellington and Auckland, and I am VERY proud of recently winning the Premier Award at the Annual Members Merit Awards 2025 at the Estuary Arts Centre in Orewa. This was definitely a career highlight for me.”

She is inspired by quiet beauty: “I admire Japanese artist Yuko Nagayama for the way she captures light – it feels alive in her paintings. Her paintings are quiet, but full of emotion. Chinese artist Yiye Wang is very talented at quilling and continues to inspire me. She doesn’t just follow trends – she has a clear, quiet confidence in her style. It encourages me to trust my own creative instincts and keep developing my personal vision in quilling. I really only want to be true to my feelings, have a positive impact on people through my art, and to inspire people to try different things.”

As Jane was never formally trained in visual arts, she feels she has had to put more effort into learning and practicing on her own. “The upside to this is that I have been able to develop my own concepts, theories and to experiment more than I would have with a more formal arts education.”

She has been a member of Watercolour NZ, is currently a member and part-time time tutor at the Estuary Arts Centre, and has also been a volunteer with the Whangaparaoa Community Patrol for the last three years. “These organisations have provided me with a mix of learning, interaction with communities, new perspectives, problems to solve, and opportunities to exercise my creativity in developing solutions to challenges.”

She works primarily with watercolour and quilling: “These two mediums balance each other perfectly: watercolour flows with emotion, while quilling builds with intention. Both speak to different parts of me – the dreamer, and the maker. My favourite piece of equipment is pigment. Pigment is the soul of painting. Each colour represents different moods, and gives you different feelings. When you mix them, every moment is like magic.”

Sometimes while she is working, Jane will have a movie playing in the background, other times she listens to audiobooks. “I typically step through the following process – observing, analysing, visualising, planning of design, sketching, initial build or painting of the subject, then final adjustments and additions.”

In her spare time she enjoys travel, hiking, camping, gardening, socialising with friends, walking the dogs, reading and community patrol. “I find travel is great for opening my mind and giving me new perspectives.”

For new artists, Jane says: “Keep going, don’t stop. Take your time, have patience. Let your mind explore possibilities.” She has work on display at the Alfred Memelink Artspace Gallery and has sold both in China and New Zealand. Jane is also preparing an exhibition of her current work that will be displayed at the Estuary Arts Centre in 2026. Everyone is welcome to pop-in and enjoy!