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Rachel Barber

rachel-barber-aotearoa-artistLOCKDOWN LIMBO REVERSED

Rachel Barber is an inspiration to us all. With her enthusiasm, self-discipline and drive she took the economic and psychological impact of a COVID19 lockdown job and home loss, and turned the situation around into an opportunity for artistic growth and self-employment. And what an opportunity she created! Rachel tells us about it . . .

After I left school, I studied Digital Photography at Raffles College of Design. I have always been an artist, but I always worked as well. I was in such limbo when lockdown happened, I had lost all my work overnight due to COVID and moved out of my flat the day of lockdown. So, I was really faced with the reality of a ‘blank canvas’ in my life. I just knew I wanted to paint every day, that it was my dream job and my passion. So, the biggest flex was just saying to myself – I’m going to do this thing! I came to the realisation “I literally have nothing to lose right now.

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Pat Nielsen

pat-nielsen-aotearoa-artistSTRUCTURED REALITY

I made my first timid venture into the world of creating art about 20 years ago when a friend suggested I should enroll with Tony Clarke – a local art teacher who runs a very successful art school. It was there that I overcame my terror of the blank canvas and realised that I could at least draw

Under Tony’s watchful eye I learned a lot of valuable techniques and I gradually began to develop my own style. I subsequently decided I was not a group artist and went my own way. Although I am quite ambitious and competitive, I never saw art as a possible career. Also, I was totally immersed in another passion which was tutoring year 11 and 12 maths. I was self-taught and started by helping our oldest son’s friends to prepare for NCEA1. This quickly developed into a commitment and, eventually, it took up most of the late afternoons sharing my time with keeping control of a husband (who is also an artist using wood as a medium) and three young boys and two foster children.

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Susannah Law - Aotearoa Artist - The New Zealand Artists Magazine

Susannah Law

Susannah-law-aotearoa-artistSince childhood, Susannah Law has been receiving awards for her artwork and it was always her dream to be an artist. With much encouragement from family and friends, she finally completed a Diploma in Fine Arts from Hungry Creek Art School in Puhoi.

My mother always supported me and organised private lessons for me during my teen years with my forever favourite art tutor (late) Kathleen Bartlett. Kathleen was so passionate about art and the history of art which she studied in London, she was always inspiring to me. I can remember her even now, vividly telling a story of her travels such as to murals in Greece and Turkey and other exhibits she visited, how Van Gogh’s originals move you in a way that prints never could and that paintings in their original form always have a better impact.

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Claire Wallwork

 

claire-wallwork-aotearoa-artistCONQUERING DOUBTS

As a young woman and throughout her life, whenever Claire Wallwork thought of her dream career, she saw herself as an artist creating beautiful works and loving it,and yet she never really imagined that it was something that could actually eventuate. Three years ago, she had a catharsis where she asked herself,’what is holding me back?’ When she realised that the only thing stopping her were her own self-imposed limitations, she began to pursue her dream in earnest. ‘From that moment I replaced my student paints for professional ones and dedicated all my time and resources into mastering my craft and stepping up to the challenge’.

I am self-taught and have learnt through a huge amount of experimentation, asking a lot of questions and through watching YouTube Videos to familiarise myself with various mediums and techniques. To describe the theme that has permeated every aspect and stage of my life, it has been the challenge of self-expression. As a child I was cripplingly shy, and it took many years to find my voice, and even more to be able to express it eloquently. I eventually found writing really supported me in that but then I discovered painting. After a lifetime of soul-searching and healing, I discovered that painting allowed me access to the feelings and thoughts that sat under the surface of my conscious awareness.

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Featured-wendy-ricketts-aotearoa-artist

Wendy Ricketts

wendy-ricketts-aotearoa-artistCompelled to paint and draw animals, especially their eyes, Wendy Ricketts tells us how she uses her artistic talent to focus and calm her busy mind while producing works for commission, family and friends.

I was first inspired to draw after seeing a study of a hare by German artist Albrecht Durer. I was taken by the detail and softness of the rendition. I love the faces of animals and the detail needed to produce them. I strive to produce it, sometimes to my detriment. You can get so caught up in the detail that you forget the result you were intending to achieve. Or the mood you were trying to show in the animal. Animal faces convey so much, especially the eyes. I have always loved the natural world and have a fascination with wildlife. 

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Featured-lui-peti-aotearoa-artist

Lui Peti

lui-peti-aotearoa-artistLui 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. 

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Hollie Almond

 

hollie-almond-aotearoa-artistLYRICAL 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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Teissi Aranda

Teissi Aranda - Aotearoa Artist

HEALING POWER

Teissi Aranda is on the hunt for her global art tribe. After a serious accident forced her to reevaluate her values, she decided to study art full time to a postgraduate level and has never looked back. “I have found people along the way who support me and believe in me, and that is the most important thing.”

With works now located in Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, UK and USA, Teissi is a force to be reckoned with. She believes that art heals, that it connects you to your people.

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Natalie Gelder Aotearoa Artist

Natalie Gelder

Natalie Gelder aotearoa artist

PRECIOUS MOMENTS

In 2020, Natalie Gelder was a busy, pregnant mum with a two-year-old toddler. As a result, most of her art was created at night by the light of a daylight bulb. But the journey into motherhood has also given her a wonderful new subject matter, “one that I am full of love and enthusiasm for”.

Becoming an artist, for me, has been a personal creative development process from a young age. My biggest motivator was my dad. He encouraged me in the right direction as an artist, together with building a creative and supportive family environment. I started going to fringe art association meetings in England with my Dad when I was still really young, around 12 years old. I did AS level Fine Art straight out of school, and then two years of studying at art college from 2010. 

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Sue Currie - Aotearoa Artist

Sue Currie

Sue Currie - Aotearoa Artist

Sue Currie was delighted to find that a comprehensive Australian correspondence course in graphic design for three years while at high school in Christchurch was a successful background for working in art. “In those days there were few opportunities for women to be taken seriously. In Sydney, Australia, the attitude was much more positive.”

Sue also took lessons with artist and illustrator Arthur Renshaw, (a retired tutor from the NSW Polytech), twice a week for six months as well as working freelance in graphic design. After six years she returned to New Zealand to paint, attending weekend workshops with a few fellow artists.

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