Keeley Eastwood
EASTWOOD MYTHOLOGY Myths, legends and the other-worldly creatures that bring them to life have long caught the attention of young and…
Cindy Woest
HONEST ABANDON While visiting Dougie Chowns one Sunday, I met a neighbour of his, Cindy Woest. Cindy is a very talented…
Madison Rogers
SACRED GEOMETRY
SACRED GEOMETRYHaving always enjoyed working with her hands and anything to do with crafts, by the time Madison Rogers entered high school, she knew she wanted to pursue a career that would allow her to develop and explore her creative skills. With her favourite subject at school being metalwork, she investigated career options that would embrace both her artistic side and her love of working with metal.
“It was around this time that I learned a friend of mine’s father was a jeweller and gem setter. This sounded like the perfect option for me and I pursued this with vigour.” She went straight from high school to study at Hungry Creek Art and Craft School, graduating after four years with a Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Jewellery. “The biggest motivating factor for me to become a jeweller was the overwhelming need to create. To have the skills and knowledge to turn raw materials and a concept into a functional, wearable, beautiful piece of jewellery that is not only meaningful to me, but also becomes something special and cherished by others. I love contributing to the meaningful moments in people’s lives - engagements, weddings, birthdays, graduations or anniversaries etc.”
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.
Cara Fotofili
LIFE BEGINS AT 60!
LIFE BEGINS AT 60!Cara Fotofili always wanted to be an artist. She recalles that art classes and drawing diagrams in science class were the only things that interested her at school. Hugely influenced by her father, also an artist, Cara became ‘distracted’ by life in general. When she turned 60, she decided it was her time now, she went to art school and studied for five years and has not looked back.
The biggest motivating factor to becoming a professional artist at this time in her life is that the creative process gives her peace, and takes her away from the conditional, habitual expectation to conform. Finally she feels free. “I work quite instinctively – a bit like how you might doodle while talking on the phone. I don’t make plans, but can see that many things that interest me are manifest in my finished work.”
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.”
Rachel Barber
LOCKDOWN LIMBO REVERSED
LOCKDOWN LIMBO REVERSEDRachel 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.
Pat Nielsen
STRUCTURED REALITY
STRUCTURED REALITYI 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.
Susannah Law
Since 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.
Since 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.