Adair Davis
HOW COULD I NOT? Born into a creative family with parents who belonged to a vibrant arts community, Adair Davis tells…
Vjekoslav Nemesh 2022
NEMESH
Artist Nemesh Vjekoslav, hailing originally from former Yugoslavia (now Serbia), has developed his own unique style of painting, calling it semi-abstract. His work is vibrant, colourful and representative of a prolific connection to spirituality.
Demonstrating exceptional drawing skills from early childhood, his main interest was drawing comics. “However, that changed in my early 20s when a schoolmate commissioned me to create a large oil painting. This commission progressed into a more detailed and graphic representation of my artistic style.”
Sarah Pou
COLOURFUL AFFAIR
Studying Visual Communication at Unitec in Auckland from the early age of 17, Sarah Pou went on to have her art showcased in several high street art Galleries in Auckland and then later in London. She met her husband when she was travelling in England and her artistic career was put on hold in favour of consistent income.
After the birth of her first child she painted childrens nursery artwork and one of her customers proclaimed that she was an ‘illustrator’. This resonated with her and after returning to New Zealand and having their third child, she felt an overwhelming desire to create again, which she could not ignore. She started to develop her style whilst working and looking after her young family. “Time was very limited so I carved out time in the evenings. Although it was tiring, I felt fulfilled and content when I was creating.”
Hiria Anderson
PAINTER OF LIGHT
Hiria Anderson prefers to be known simply as Hiria, a preference which reflects her shy and retiring nature. Brought up with her grandparents who were practitioners of Raranga (weaving) and Whakairo (carving) she grew up surrounded by creativity, loving drawing and making things with her hands.
“I’ve grown up around creatives so it was a natural transition for me to make art my career. As a young person I remember wanting to become an artist so I didn’t have to talk to people. I was fearful of having a job in front-of-house, reception, or serving in a shop. Anything to do with people I didn’t want to do. Well, I’ve come a long way in thinking from back then.”
UK ARTIST Amanda Bates
Trees prompted Amanda Bates’ move from palette knives and oil paint to pen and ink. “A particular group of beech trees at Avebury were responsible for this switch,” says British artist Amanda, who grew up in a house called Haere Mai, which she understands to mean ‘Welcome’ in Maori.
By Tim Saunders
“Growing on top of the henge (earthen bank), their intertwined roots have been exposed by soil erosion, caused by a combination of weathering and visitors feet. The resultant lattice is fascinatingly ornate and well beyond the scope of my knife work. Brushes didn’t seem to hold the answer either; the magic that I was reaching for didn’t seem to be present in a realistic depiction. I tried several approaches, including a diversion into a stylised use of colour that took on a life of its own for a while but it wasn’t until I reached back in time for my pen and its promise of crisply rendered detail, that I realised that colour itself might be the problem. It seems to be well known among photographers that a sharp monochrome photograph will show detail better than any colour photograph could. The reason for this has nothing to do with any inherent superiority of black and white film over colour; it holds true in digital photography. It is simply that colour distracts the eye from detail and it seems that our brains can only cope with so much visual information at a time.
Eszter Luca
ESZTER'S STATEMENTS
Loving to create statement pieces, Eszter Luca, born in Budapest, Hungary, studied a Bachelor of Arts at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in 2014. Concurrently she studied a Diploma in Interior Design which she feels has greatly influenced her career as an artist.
Many people say that “art is not a real career” yet in today’s world anyone from around the world can see your artworks with the push of a button, and if you have the motivation and deep passion for art, then there’s nothing stopping you from pursuing that dream. Eszter has always had a passion for the arts and always dreamed of taking the leap to turn her passion into a career, so in 2019 she did exactly that.
Carl Cockill
AN INNER GLOW
As an Architectural Technician, Carl Cockill works a 40 hour week in Dunedin and is currently raising three children with his wife Cheryl. As such, his time for painting is limited to night times and weekends. He has no formal training in oil painting so his natural talent is a joy to behold.
The inconsistent revenue stream from being a full time artist is the only thing that’s holding him back from enjoying his talent on a permanent basis. “Once the financial burdens have lessened and my lovely children have flown the nest, I feel retirement would be the best time for me to pursue this path on a full-time basis. In the meantime I am happy pursuing my art as a (slightly out of hand) hobby. I am always pleased to sell the odd piece of work and have one of my paintings go to a new home.” The privilege of raising his children saw a necessary ceasing of his artistic pursuits for a time. “I’m not complaining, my wife and family come first, always. I am loving every minute of my family, and wouldn’t change a thing.”
Brenda Liddiard
LYRICAL FLOW
Being involved in the arts as a songwriter, singer and musician for most of her life, Brenda Liddiard became interested in painting around 2000. A big influence and inspiration in this discipline was her late brother, Chris Liddiard, who was a watercolour artist based in the UK. Brenda and her brother were born in Essex in the UK, Brenda now living in Auckland, New Zealand.
With her brother's influence, Brenda started her painting career using watercolours. She attended many workshops and summer schools with well respected tutors including Allie Eagle, Cushla Parekowhai, Jane Zusters, James Lawrence, Sue Daly, Maree Wilson, Phillipa Blair and Brett A’Court. “At age 50, finding a new creative path was very exciting for me, it opened up a whole new world. I wanted to pursue the learning for as long as possible and realised this was something I could do as I grew older.”
UK ARTIST James Lester
Successful British designer and art director James Lester left his fast paced life in London and became a full-time artist in tranquil Devon. After initial study James established a career in advertising and publishing, when he worked on many national advertising campaigns and magazines. It was throughout this time that his paintings were exhibited in various London exhibitions, including the Royal Academy and the Royal Society of British Artists.
Born in Dover, Kent, James spent much of his early life among the chalk Downs and picturesque Weald of Kent. For hundreds of years this county has been referred to as The Garden of England with its gentle hills, fertile farmland, orchards and cultivated country estates such as Penshurst Place, Sissinghurst Castle and Hall Place Gardens. Historically the coastal houses here were used as a location to dry hops for the brewing process. Perhaps unsurprisingly the county is home to Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame, whose brewery was established in 1698 but “there is clear evidence that its heritage pre-dates even this period” according to the brewer. Today award winning English wines are produced here, too. Magnificent coastal views and the world-renowned White Cliffs of Dover together with Kent’s rolling green hills and beautiful scenery provide an artist with plenty of inspiration.
Rochelle Thomas
AUTO ART Taking the time to use her observational skills, Rochelle Thomas has always been fascinated with paintings. At Cafe’s, offices,…