Sarah Kolver
BLUE PUDDLE REFLECTIONS Sarah Kolver’s beginnings are like many young people who fall in love with art, wielding a paintbrush and…
Lorraine Bailey
HAPPY HEART, HAPPY ART Moving from one place to the next can be a drag. Boxing up your life in the…
Keeley Eastwood
EASTWOOD MYTHOLOGY Myths, legends and the other-worldly creatures that bring them to life have long caught the attention of young and…
Caitlin Johnston
SELF-TAUGHT BY THE SEA By Matt Mortimer It is said that if you make a job out of what you love,…
Marc Mckinlay
Marc currently lives in Christchurch and has never had any formal training in art. He says his major interest in art stemmed from secondary school in Scotland, when he was selected to represent his school in regional art programmes.
Marc currently lives in Christchurch and has never had any formal training in art. He says his major interest in art stemmed from secondary school in Scotland, when he was selected to represent his school in regional art programmes.“I like to experiment with colour and find inspiration everywhere. I don’t focus on other artists’ work but the vibrant art scene in Christchurch has inspired me to create more art in the last 24 months than I did over the last twenty years. Due to this, my art has evolved significantly in the past 18 months and I am now considered to have evolved a style.”
Lucia Laubscher
Lucia Laubscher was born in South Africa and carved an impressive career there around her painting. She immigrated to New Zealand in 2017, and battled with the adjustment of living in a new country with a different culture and set of rules. She started building her career from scratch again and has done exceptionally well in those four years. She tells us her story
When I was five years old, my first grade teacher looked at a cartoon elephant I drew and exclaimed “You are an artist!” This stuck with me throughout my life and my love for creating grew stronger with every passing year. When I was 12 years old my parents ordered me my first oil painting kit in the mail and it arrived with four small canvasses and instructions on how to paint four different artworks – trees, buildings, still-life etc. I enjoyed drawing and experimenting with paint and have always been creative and would find myself doodling all the time.
Froyle Davies
BRUSHSTROKE MILEAGE
BRUSHSTROKE MILEAGEBy Matt Mortimer
There is something to be said for the lighthouse in the storm. To being the beacon of hope that shines through the darkness, piercing the gloom with a positive message to those braving the ravaging seas. Akin to this element of light across stormy waters and threatening skies, is the uplifting attitude and message behind the paintings of Manawatu-based artist, Froyle Davies.
Her wonderful outlook is summed up in her thoughts to budding creative types everywhere. “My best advice is mileage under the brush. Don’t give up. Keep creating, keep experimenting and keep learning. If you are an artist then you have to create. For me, painting is as necessary as breathing. Don’t let any art establishment or disappointment stop you from pursuing your goals. Not everyone will like what you do, but someone will. Find where you fit and go on and shine, she says.”
Coral Noel Yang
Professionally trained in film production, giving her a solid foundation in visual language, storytelling, colour theory, cinematography, and lighting amongst other skills, Coral Noel Yang’s predominant painting training comes from her mother who is a premier painter in Taiwan and also from various classes she took throughout the years including a Master of Fine Arts (Cinema-Television Production) at the University of Southern California, USA and Art History at the Whitman College, USA, amongst others. She tells us about herself:
Professionally trained in film production, giving her a solid foundation in visual language, storytelling, colour theory, cinematography, and lighting amongst other skills, Coral Noel Yang’s predominant painting training comes from her mother who is a premier painter in Taiwan and also from various classes she took throughout the years including a Master of Fine Arts (Cinema-Television Production) at the University of Southern California, USA and Art History at the Whitman College, USA, amongst others. She tells us about herself:I was very fortunate to grow up in an artsy family – my Chinese dad was a professor and my Japanese mom is a painter so I grew up immersed in a strong love for arts and literature, which continues to develop. With a passion for storytelling and visual arts I chose my professional pathway as a filmmaker. After earning an MFA in Cinema-TV production from the University of Southern California I embarked on a rich creative journey involving living and traveling in different countries, directing and producing films, TV commercials and children’s television.
Andrea Choonoo
MULTI-TALENTED SAILOR
Born in South Africa, multi-talented Andrea Choonoo immigrated to New Zealand in 2000. Here she graduated with a Fine Art and Graphic Design Degree from Whitecliffe College of Art and Design in Auckland. She went on to study honours in Screen and Media Studies at the Waikato University and worked as a graphic designer in Sydney, Australia for seven years.
After working in Australia, Andrea went on to sail around the world, capturing the beauty of life through photography and making video documentaries. “I love the outdoors, especially nature and this can be seen through my artwork. Fine art has always been a strong passion and this next venture is a huge undertaking, but also an exciting adventure.”
Vanessa Owens
TAKING FLIGHT
TAKING FLIGHTCreative from an early age, Vanessa Owens always took art as a subject in college and loved it. She approached a local art gallery in her twenties called Naxos Art Exhibits in Wellington, since closed, where she exhibited her acrylic paintings successfully for three years, part time. The gallery owner was very encouraging and she had good sales which gave her a growing confidence in her painting ability and confirmed her desire to become a full-time artist.
After finishing college, Vanessa began to feel unchallenged and robotic in administrative job roles. In contrast, her painting has made her feel challenged, and the freedom has become intoxicating. “Perseverance has taught me that progress is gained in small steps, not giant leaps forward.”