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Jana Branca

jana-branca-aotearoa-artist-mug-shotAN EXCITING VOCATION

Jana Branca hails from South Africa, where she obtained a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria. “I remember a very pivotal moment at high school where my art teacher made a comment that she thought I could go on to be an artist. It was just a little thing she said in conversation, but it had a massively encouraging and life altering effect on me.”

Making, creating and re-creating has always been a very big part of her life and she says she couldn’t imagine a more exciting vocation. Having always been a ‘deep’ child, Jana loves having a vehicle for investigating and engaging with meaningful and weighty concepts. “Most of the things I like thinking about seem just out of my reach, and further wrestling with them through my art practice seems to make them just a little bit more graspable.”

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Stephen Martyn Welch (Marty)

marty-welsh-aotearoa-artist-mug-shotA PROFICIENT PAINTER

Stephen Martyn Welch, known as Marty, has had no formal training in painting and as such, the beginning of his career was very difficult. Not many galleries were interested in what he had to offer. “I am 100% self-taught, which I am proud of because I worked really hard to get where I am today.”

He failed his school certificate in art, so he joined the army and started doing sketches for his fellow comrades, “so they could go to the local tattooist, where they proceeded to ruin my drawings on someone’s skin.” After the army, Marty worked in an Irish pub in Auckland. “I started off sketching images on a big white beer fridge door that was like a white board. From there people used to come in and ask me to draw different things from actors to comic characters.”

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Carol-moffatt-Mt EarnslawDart Valley-aotearoa-artist

Carol Moffatt

I gather ideas and inspiration from the natural environment of New Zealand: the trees, mountains, water, plants and flowers. My paintings strive to capture the wonders and mystery that surround us.

I love using oils because of their strong colours. In addition, I use transparent colours as much as possible because they vibrate in the light.  Combining brushstrokes with music in my head, I create my world on canvas.

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Jennifer Stebbings

Jennifer Stebbings - Aotearoa Artist

PROLIFIC DETAIL

Born in Motueka, New Zealand, Jennifer Stebbings didn’t have any formal fine-art training, however she did go to Christchurch Polytech for a year, doing visual Communications. “I have always loved painting and drawing from my first memory. I went into commercial art thinking fine arts wasn’t really an option for a ‘real job’ I always knew that art in some form would be my only path.”

She moved back to New Zealand, from England in 2014, and for the first time, circumstances allowed her to pursue painting full time. Her biggest obstacle was confidence: “I battled to have confidence in my product with no apologies. I had my first exhibition when I was about 18, and an art critic said my path is in design as I have no knowledge of colour. I probably didn’t, but I was gutted. Now I would think, well, that’s just your opinion which you are entitled to. Thats not to say I wouldn’t take criticism on board, but it wouldn’t bother me now.”

 

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Claire Broughton

claire-broughton-aotearoa-artistNATURE'S BALANCE

Self-taught artist, Claire Broughton first picked up a brush in 2002 and became enchanted with the flow and magical qualities of watercolour. She attended a workshop with New Zealand artist Susan Harrison-Tustain in 2010 which she found invaluable, along with all the support and encouragement she received from Susan. “She really helped me to polish the rough edges off my work, making it look more professional.”

A certificate in Drawing Nature, Science and Culture: Natural History Illustration through the University of Newcastle, Australia in 2016 provided an excellent understanding of drawing, especially botanical drawing which in turn has helped her to achieve realistic watercolour paintings.

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Elise De Silva

elise-de-silva-aotearoa-artistDRAMATIC LIGHT

Born in Australia, and having a talented mum as an artist, Elise De Silva reflects on her fondest memories of heading out to the foothills of Perth with some paints and a couple of sausages for the BBQ. “It was only recently that I realised I’ve been painting en plein-air since I was 10! I have to admit, while I enjoyed art, I never felt very good, but I dabbled all throughout my life.” Elise expands on her story.

Nature is my biggest inspiration. I’m always looking at cloud shapes, sunsets, interesting shapes, water and reflections too. New Zealand has so much beautiful coast-line, I’m never at a loss for inspiring subject matter. Boats also feature strongly in my work. I’m not a boatie myself, I get dreadfully sea sick, but I think boats are so evocative of freedom, serenity and adventure. I’m also drawn to any landscape with dramatic lighting. If there is no dramatic light, then a scene just doesn’t drive me. I want my art to evoke beauty and bring people joy and peace. 

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Kerri-Lee Gunter

kerri-lee-gunter-aotearoa-artistBorn in East London, South Africa, Kerri-Lee Günter has been in New Zealand since 2009, living in and enjoying the majesty of Invercargill. She gets her passion and talent from her mother’s side of the family – mum, grandfather and great grandmother. “As a child I was given books with blank pages and encouraged to express my creativity in them.  At the age of nine my mum realised I had a passion for art and decided to send me to art lessons after school and at 18
I decided to pursue my passion further.”

Starting with an Art & Design Certificate – 2007-2008 – at Buffalo City College in East London, Kerri-Lee went on to qualify with a Level 5 Diploma in Painting – 2010-2011 – at Aoraki Polytechnic in Ashburton, and also gained a Bachelor in Applied Media Arts – 2012-2014 at the Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill.

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Lanie Wilton

lanie-wilton-aotearoa-artistGISBORNE MAGIC

When Lanie Wilton was growing up, she says, there was no shortage of talent in her family. Her mother, aunties and grandmother all carried a creative flair, if it wasn’t poetry or paint it was the use of fabric. Lanie was also very blessed to have had inspiring high school art teachers. They allowed her to make the art room her second home.

By Anita Nossiter

Lanie quite vividly remembers seeing Lisa Wisse-Robinsons’ stunning landscape paintings in a magazine while she was attending high school as an art student. She loves her earlier landscape work, composition and her colour use. After returning from her OE in 2006, she studied art and earned herself a Diploma in Art and Creativity from the Learning Connection. In 2009 she qualified as a high school art teacher at Massey University in Palmerston North.

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Gwyn Hughes

NATURAL PROGRESSION

Gwyn Hughes’ father and grandfather used to paint and it was a natural progression for him to become an artist. Gaining a National Diploma at Wrexham College of Art, Wales between 1980-1982, he was excited to explore his creativity and find his own path and as most artists do, he took inspiration from all of the great artists he came across. Gwyn tells us his story.

I first came to New Zealand in the 70s through a joinery internship. I joined a band, secured a couple of residencies in Christchurch and stayed for five years. After moving back to Wales from New Zealand, I would pop into a gallery run by a local artist, David Williams. I started to draw birds and local landscapes, and paint watercolours, and I was encouraged to pursue the arts as a career. I completed my four-year Illustration and Design Diploma in two years. I have never been a great one for entering exhibitions or awards but know as an artist it’s how you put yourself out there. I have been very lucky throughout my art career and I have received loads of support from family and friends who have always offered encouragement and critique. 

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Lorna Allan

lorna-allan-aotearoa-artistA PASSIONATE PROCESS

Otautau Gallery in Southland and The Artists Room Fine Art Gallery in Dunedin are a far cry from Alaska, such is the range of locations and distance the artwork of Lorna Allan has travelled. “I have paintings in Alaska, other parts of the US, Australia and the UK.”

From simple beginnings of chalk on a blackboard, to what you see today highlights years of experience and expression. “I have had no formal training as in art school. In those days education for girls was considered a waste of time and money as we would only get married and have children. I recall clearly the first day I started school at High Street School, Dunedin. The teacher gave me a piece of chalk and I was allowed to draw on a board with my name on it while she got the other children onto their work.  When I had finished, I took the chalk to the teacher to give it back to her.  She said, “Oh no dear. That’s yours for always as long as it lasts”. I was overwhelmed with her kindness as I had been told I was to learn reading, writing and numbers and not to play around with “that rubbish” at school.”

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