Region Archives - Page 15 of 33

Wendy Leach

1 February 2021
Abstract, Acrylic, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Landscape, Oils, Painting, Stylized

Three years at Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University (Diploma of Fine Arts) and two years at Whitecliffe College of Art and Design (Master of Fine Arts, 1st class honours) has seen Wendy Leach through to a fine career in visual arts. She tells us her of her process and progress.

I went to Elam when I left school, then trained as a secondary teacher. I became an art teacher first, then an exhibiting artist later. In terms of a philosophy that drives my creative soul, that would be the language and understanding of the power of opposites, yin and yang. These complementary opposites - dark and light, black and white, night and day, warm and cool, storm and calm - are fundamental to my current paintings as I explore the natural elements around me.

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Sally Spicer

1 February 2021
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Figures, Oils, Painting, Portraits, Realism, Watercolour

Sally Spicer’s portrait art is imbued with a vintage sense of drama, intrigue, and intimacy. Her pathos evoking images provoke simultaneously hopeful and wistful emotions. She recently described to us her approach to art.

The most important thing I have learned is to follow your instinct with your art. Critique from external sources is valuable, but you need to stick to your decisions if they feel right. I loved to draw from a very young age, favouring depicting people right from the start. I was really lucky to have incredibly supportive parents, who recognised my passion and helped to steer me in the right direction. My grandmother was a talented artist, as are my Dad and my aunt.

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Lui Peti

1 February 2021
Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Digital, Nature, Painting, Portraits, Symbolism

Lui Peti’s art is surrealistic, emotive and a little quirky. His digital paintings are available to be enjoyed by everyone, with his original work sold online as affordable art prints. His hope is for people to enjoy his art as much as he enjoys creating it. With buyers already in Australia, the USA and Canada, Lui is well on his way to becoming a full-time artist.

I love being able to visualise my thoughts and being able to create art from a process of thinking. I like pushing myself to be braver and reach deeper into my psyche to explore its essence. Perfecting my craft and being surprised by my progress is very satisfying.

featured-charne-brent-christensen-aotearoa-artist

Charne Christensen

1 February 2021
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Hyper Realism, Landscape, Oils, Painting

BRIEF MOMENTS

Charne Brent Christensen’s immaculate photo-realistic painting style does justice to the dramatic but serene landscape of the South Island. Blending the mists of the unknown with the hyper-realism of strong light on crisply defined mountain and lake scenery, he has developed a unique style which he shares with us here.

My art is inspired by the New Zealand landscape. I regularly take my eight-year-old dog Chow Chow on road trips around the South Island. I love to explore the countryside and every trip inspires a new creation. It’s as if the lakes and mountains beg me to capture them for one brief moment in time; so that they can be displayed in a loving home to remind us of their eternal beauty. I work full time, so I paint whenever I get the time - mostly on weekends. I have been driven to learn and develop my skills so that one day I can become known as an accomplished artist.

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Freeman White

1 November 2020
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Landscape, Oils, Painting, Portraits, Realism, Seascape

ANSWERING THE CALL

Born in the Hawke’s Bay, Freeman White started drawing before he started school, and enjoyed tremendous support from his parents. While still in primary school, Freeman was entering and winning art competitions, always serious about his artwork.

In the late 90s Freeman attended Elam School of Fine Arts in Auckland for a year. “Their mantra was that ‘painting is dead’, but painting was very much alive for me, so I left after a year. After that I received a scholarship to study Honours at the Learning Connexion in Wellington where I met fellow painter Sandro Kopp.”

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Tracey Coakley

1 November 2020
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Figures, Hyper Realism, Oils, Painting, Portraits, Realism

Tracey Coakley’s narrative work explores the human emotions of mental health issues, growing up, pre-teen and understanding the transition from child to teenager and still retaining your own uniqueness. Using herself and her family as models.

“I love making art and exhibiting it. I’ve always been making art, creating and drawing, since I was a child growing up in Melbourne. I used to open-up paper shopping bags and draw murals. I had an amazing art teacher in the last two years of high school who introduced us to the world of art, not only in the classroom but also the occasional field trips from the country to city galleries and the National Gallery of Victoria and art lectures. It was always the subject I enjoyed the most and excelled in.

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Marie Reid-Beadle

1 November 2020
Acrylic, Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Drawing, Hyper Realism, Painting, Surrealism

BOVINE BLISS

Self-taught, art has always been a passion for Marie Reid-Beadle. She spent a lot of time doodling and sketching in her teen years. Some 10 years later, after her first child was born, she decided to purchase some quality paints and a quality canvas and entered a painting in an open exhibition at the Otago Art Society. The painting sold - not to her great aunt or an empathetic friend, but to a total stranger. She was on a high all week!

My creative soul is driven by the world around me. I am so grateful and blessed to now live in the beautiful Catlins. I often just drive around looking for a photo opportunity. Seeing maybe a heron, kingfishers, cows and wildlife that give me ideas for my next painting. My balancing act painting called ‘The Steward Island Party’ was based on being in Stewart Island for a 50th birthday and the birds that we encountered.

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Lynn Isherwood

1 November 2020
Acrylic, Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Ceramics, Expressionism, Fantasy, Figures, Painting, Sculpture

THE CREATIVE FLOW

Lynn Isherwood uses the old as time ceramic technique of hand building to create flowers, animals, birds and creatures for people to enjoy. Her calling is to create, to make, and to then close the loop by recording, and reflecting on, the outcome. This is her passion.

“I have been keen on art all my life. I love making; it is my passion. I believe that there is a spiritual creative force which encourages, inspires and uplifts me. I am happy when people buy my works and take them home to enjoy them in their daily lives. I am happy in my studio when I am in a creative flow… or just thinking and playing with my art. My aim is to develop more skills and confidence in painting and pottery – to be able to express myself more fully.

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Kerry George

1 November 2020
Acrylic, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Coloured Pencils, Drawing, Painting, Pencil

DO IT ANYWAY!

Kerry George is a 33-year-old kiwi from Wellington who is a full time cook at a childcare centre. She has a seven year old son and likes drawing and painting in her spare time.

“How long have I been an artist? Well I guess It goes way back to when I was at primary school. I wasn’t very good at learning, found it all too hard so rather than asking for help I noticed if I keep my head down and keep quiet, teachers seemed to leave me alone rather than making me do the school work. So, while my head was down, I just drew pictures. I was really into horses so always drew them, then started drawing people but used to get annoyed they never turned out realistic, so rather than thinking negatively about my work, I looked at it in a different way and thought I’m good at drawing cartoon people!

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Hollie Almond

1 November 2020
Abstract, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Enamel, Mixed Media, Nature, Painting

LYRICAL ABSTRACTIONS

By Cindy Kent-Woest

Hollie Almond lets her art become what it wants to be – surfaces saturated with storms of smouldering and dizzying colour. Colour moving and separating, guided by a light touch when needed; becoming beautiful while finding itself. Much like her own journey.

“I became an artist to help myself and to hopefully inspire others to see that art can help them help themselves too. It was my dream job as a child. To turn that into reality, and make my inner child proud for not giving up (even though I lost my way for a while), is probably my biggest motivator.

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