Born in Petrovaradin in the former Yugoslavia, Vjekoslav Nemesh has been a professional working artist since 1984, participating in over 150 group and 30 solo exhibitions.
Married with three children, DeAnne travelled between Rotorua and Taupo over a four year period to complete her Diploma of Visual Art (Fine Art) in 2000 at the Waiariki Institute of Technology. Armed with this accomplishment, she managed to overcome her shyness and was able to present her work to galleries and buyers, resulting in her first solo exhibition in Tauranga and achieved first place in the prestigious Portage Ceramic Award in 2007.
After deciding to take the next step and try to make a career out of art, she began entering competitions, experiencing some success. Finally a friend convinced her to approach a gallery with her work, and to her delight and beyond her wildest dreams, Julia was offered a solo exhibition. The sell-out show, held nearly 20 years ago, cemented Julia’s ambition and she has prospered ever since.
Colin likes to work from photographs, saying he does not really like doing pictures of people posing or pulling a big smile. “I like it when they are relaxed and acting naturally. I think that it is a privilege to paint a portrait of someone and try to be honest,” he says. “I draw using a light pencil and then paint with a brush. I prefer painting in oil because the paint takes longer to dry than acrylic paint; this means that I don’t have to keep remixing my paint in order to make the same colour.
Whilst a deep and profound love of nature lies at the core of her inspiration, it is a peaceful inner feeling of freedom and joy in creating a new artwork that drives and motivates Fiona to paint and draw. Although she has had no formal art training, Auckland born Fiona says her capacity to draw and paint stems from her mother, a talented artist in her own right, who encouraged Fiona from a young age to pursue her artistic bent.
While Geoffrey recalls making plasticine models when he was 11 years old. Things became a little more serious, while he was studying for a degree in zoology, when he was asked to make models for a prehistoric reptile display at the Auckland Museum. After this he was asked to illustrate ‘Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand,’ which was how Geoffrey’s career as a professional artist really started.
In 1990 Mehrdad left Iran for New Zealand, which resulted in a pause in art while he improved his English and learnt about our culture. Family reasons dictated a move to Sweden, and a new culture and language to learn. 1999 saw Mehrdad return to New Zealand and settle in Christchurch.
Whangarei-born, John, whose very first painting was a self-portrait completed back in 1977, has had a long interest in art but says he ‘played around’ for years while in ‘corporate career mode’ here in New Zealand and in the USA. On returning to NZ in 2003 he says he became really serious about his own art while beginning with partner Mary, a modest collection of work by New Zealand artists.
So says Naenae-based sculptor Carol Ann Laubscher who admits to being more than a little enamoured by the human form: “I love to try and emulate the beauty of the female form,” she says.
Ron is a former senior lecturer and head of department at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, was a council member of the Auckland Society of Arts, a painter for the Black Watch Battalion during their last days in Germany, and during the Cold War, and boasts a painting in the Queen’s private collection.
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