Nature Archives - Page 7 of 12

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.

Wendy Naepflin

1 May 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Maori, Nature, Stylized, Weaving

ALL FLAX

When I saw some woven blades on a flax bush it ignited my curiosity. I devoured the ‘Fun with Flax’ book by Mick Pendergrast and then Ali Brown’s book on weaving flax flowers, and was completely hooked! Attending my first weaving weekend in 2010 at Pa Te Aroha Marae in Whirinaki, Hokianga, was where I first started learning traditional weaving.

It is important to me to follow Maori tikanga (protocol) in the harvesting and preparation of flax. In doing this I acknowledge the many people who have shared the gift of raranga (weaving) with me. I have been lucky to weave with some of the best who have kindly and gently mentored me along the way. Mandy Sunlight is the kaiako (teacher) and organiser of those wonderful weekends, where knowledge, great kai (food) and many a laugh are shared freely. Two highly accomplished artists, Toi te Rito Mahi and Maureen Lander, often join these weekends, proving that weaving has evolved into a serious contemporary art form.

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Robbie Graham

1 May 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Carving, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Nature, Pyrography, Resin, Sculpture, Woodturning

TURNING INSPIRATION

I have always been interested in art since I was a small boy, always drawing and inventing things out of wood. When I was living in Perth, WA, I had the opportunity to stop work and try new things. Once I discovered woodturning, that was it, I was hooked.

I find my inspiration in nature, which has a big influence in my art and living where we do by Lake Taupo, not far from native forests which are very inspirational. A number of NZ turners have been a big inspiration for me after arriving back in NZ in mid 1995, particularly Alby Hall and Rolly Munro. Being an artist is better than getting my hair cut and getting a real job! But seriously, I just love creating art, especially endeavouring to achieve the ‘nearly impossible’ with my style of art woodturning.

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Ben Woollcombe

1 May 2016
Artists, Featured Artists, Figures, Landscape, Nature, Painting, Street Scenes, Watercolour

DISTILLED INSPIRATION

After almost four years of studying Industrial design at the Wellington School of Design in the early ‘70’s, Ben Woollcombe realised industry was not such an inviting option when the alternative was that he could create things of his own fancy and have people appreciate them, even buy them. The motivation to become an artist came from being able to make his own decisions and “enjoy living by my own wit rather than swapping my time for a pittance, while manifesting someone else’s dream.” He loves being able to use his time as he pleases - fishing, entertaining friends, sailing, painting or digging the garden.

Ben always enjoyed the Geography & Biology sets during his early education through correspondence school, as they usually involved illustration of some sort. A high mark in art was his main reason for gaining school certificate.

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Ken Clark

1 May 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Digital, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Nature, Photography, Stylized

THE INDIVIDUAL ART OF MOVING IMAGES

Ken Clarke, an intelligently creative cinemetographer has always considered film and television an art form. Here he brings his vision to us, and considering his tremendously varied artistic background, we are privileged to include Ken in our pages, bringing all aspects of art into your home. Ken tells us his fascinating story.

I have a BFA(Hons) in Film from Canterbury University. I started it in 1980 and didn’t finish until last year. I have spent most of my life up till now working in the film and television industry; first as a make-up artist, then a stop-motion animator where I sculpted puppets and props and then in post-production and digital effects.

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Lynn Webb

1 May 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Impressionism, Landscape, Nature, Oils, Painting

EXPLORING THE COAST

“Waves, rocks, reflections on the sand, boat sheds reflecting on the water - these are my inspiration,” says Lynn Webb, oil and watercolour artist from Tauranga. “Having grown up in the small untouched coastal settlement of Tongaporutu, within the crumbling cliffs and the black reflecting sand amongst the waves and rocks, fills me with an exciting inspiration to capture the many moods of the coast, the sea and the never ending procession of breaking waves.”

Not having had any formal training, Lynn says she has been creative since she was little. “Even as a child I loved to draw. I guess as the years have gone on the urge to paint became stronger and so it began.” Inspired by the likes of Richard Robinson and John Crump, Lynn prefers a loose style of painting, often using a palette knife to capture light and colour in her work.

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Mille Dunstall

1 March 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Drawing, Expressionism, Ink, Nature, Portraits, Watercolour, Youth Art

Born in 2000, Mille is another youth artist who is proving that this century is producing excellent artists. With one sibling, Mille’s family isn’t particularly artistic. “I’m kind of the odd one out”, she says.

Waihi College have Mille’s attendance and she has decided to take art this year, planning to get into a graphic design course in the future. From the looks of what she is producing thus far, we believe graphic design would definitely be the way for Mille to go. It might be worth Mille’s while to investigate illustration as well, a noble, well established art form.

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Richard Page

1 March 2016
Abstract, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Carving, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Nature, Sculpture, Stone

UNDER THE SKIN

New Zealand-based sculptor Richard Page aims to rival the perfection of nature in his work. Using techniques acquired through collaborations across the world, Page creates stone-based sculptures that reference or play with the physical force and beauty in organic formations. Richard’s work often combines smooth, voluminous forms with intentionally rough-cut textures, as the contrast highlights the naturalistic elements of both styles. Similarly, the raw textures hint at the process that goes into producing the more refined ones, providing a sense of time and context for the viewer.

Whether sculpting abstract, geometric pieces or more impressionistic works, Richard’s work shows a clear aquatic influence in both composition and texture. His choice of stone often corresponds to the patterns found in marine life, while the curving surfaces of his work resemble the smooth character of ocean rocks. Even in the contrast of refined and raw, or hard and smooth, the sea provides a model for Richard’s naturalistic take on erosion. Richard’s gift is the fine precision in reproducing the organic qualities that nature has to offer.

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Ian Given

1 March 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Landscape, Nature, Oils, Painting, Realism

FROM THE BOAT HOUSE

In 2010, after being in business for 30 years, manufacturing aluminium windows and supplying hardware, both retail and wholesale, Ian Given - a keen photographer - decided to begin painting. He signed up for lessons with Sue Dent, a recognised Tauranga artist, and has never looked back.

Spending many years looking at and enjoying other artists work, Ian always had a niggle in the back of his mind that he could paint like that if he tried. Some of the most influential artists in Ian’s artistic career include Tim Wilson for his attention to detail and the way he portrays mist and clouds, John Crump for his ability to paint plein-air on large canvases and the depth he manages to portray in his paintings and Richard Robinson for his loose brush work, the ability to control his colours and his talent with adjusting scenes to ease and balance up his composition. Preferring landscapes, seascapes, boats and architecture as his subject matter, Ian also takes commissions. Currently he is doing a commissioned painting of the Pungapunga estuary at the northern end of Whangapoua Beach. He is also working on a group of scenes of the coastal areas around the Coromandel. Both of these areas are firmly in Ian’s favourite list.

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Chris Emeleus

1 March 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Collage, Featured Artists, Mixed Media, Nature, Painting

PAINTING WITH PAPER

After successfully completing two years of study at Ilam School of Fine Arts - 1989-90, Chris became ill from exposure to pesticides during a summer holiday work experience. As a result he experienced acute Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which lasted twelve years making him unable to complete his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. “My artistic development was very much put on hold during this period however, since making a full recovery, the tangent of my artistic development has been plentiful with many unexpected discoveries.” Chris has gone on to achieve a BA from the University of Canterbury, majoring in Sociology, which he finished in 2005.

A bit of a ‘magpie’ character, Chris collects discarded materials, old magazines and children’s books. His inspiration comes from the potential aesthetic beauty of our transcient/throw-away culture as well as ecological awareness. The likes of Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol have much of Chris’ admiration due to their ability to use mundane objects and squeeze artistic beauty from them. “I am very indebted to Picasso and Braque as they were both pioneers in integrating collage into their works and helped raise awareness of collage as a serious art form within western art.”

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