Seascape Archives - Page 2 of 4

Otaki-forks-annette-straughier-aotearoa-artist

Annette Straugheir

1 November 2016
Acrylic, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Floral, Impressionism, Painting, Seascape, Watercolour

CREATIVE FREEDOM

Wellington born of Dutch heritage, Annette Straigheir passed art in secondary school and has attended many art courses and workshops over the years. Still fully employed, she enjoys her painting as a secondary focus, although she thoroughly enjoys the freedom of creativity she finds in her art.

Finding time to paint has been her biggest obstacle, but she’s found the formula of making it a priority of her ‘at home’ time and she tries really hard not to procrastinate or get side tracked. Having deadlines helps to keep her focussed. Art is Annette’s passion and watercolour her favourite medium. She loves the transparency and looseness watercolour offers and says she does not find that as easy to achieve with other mediums. However, she is finding a lot of success with acrylic as well. “I enjoy the process of being immersed in creating a piece of artwork. The beauty of nature is my biggest inspiration, sunsets, sunrises, landscapes, flowers and people.”

Subscribe Today

Julie Freeman

1 September 2016
Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Featured Artists, Hyper Realism, Nature, Painting, Pastels, Realism, Seascape

A self-taught artist, Julie Freeman has always loved art as a hobby. When she moved overseas after marriage in 1980, she was able to pursue her art while her husband Michael was completing a Masters in Product Design at the University of Illinois. She began doing animal portraits and some figurative work, which gradually progressed from black and white to colour. After living in the USA for eight years they transferred to the UK. Life was pretty busy with two young children but she persevered, mainly doing commissioned animal portraits, which became popular through word of mouth. Julie tells us of her journey from then through to winning the 2016 Unison Colour Cup at the PANZ ‘Purely Pastel’ National Awards in Mapua.

We returned to New Zealand at the end of 1993, and my primary focus was on the children, the home and part-time work in a local art shop. As the children got older I had a little more free time and started to focus on pastel as my preferred medium. My first exhibition was with two other professional artists, Merle Bishop and Joan Taylor, at A Fine Line Gallery in Matakana in December 2009 which was a turning point for me as an artist. My work for this exhibition covered a range of subjects, focusing on what I thought would be popular with the local residents and I successfully sold the majority of my work.

Subscribe Today

Alfred Memelink

1 September 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Impressionism, Naval, Painting, Realism, Seascape, Street Scenes, Watercolour

Within the delicate touch of watercolour, Alfred Memelink’s love and admiration of the sea is clearly visible. His joy and wonder in the environments he portrays are clear in the lightness and pleasure of his colour range and composition which emits a sense of satisfaction and contentment. With an easy brushstroke, one gets a feeling of comfort almost giving us permission to forgive nature its dark side with its wondrous and supple beauty. Even his stormy works have a feeling of softness and fragility, yet evoke inspiration.

Self taught, while at sea, his work was developed whilst sailing between New Zealand and Japan, working as a marine engineer. Giving credit to the Pacific Ocean and King Neptune, he began an artistic journey alongside the one he was already on. Having already had an early introduction with a childhood flavoured with artistic parents and wanting a hobby during his voyaging, watercolour was the practical decision to begin his artistic endeavours. A leisurely diversion from the practicalities of living, these early exercises and a book, ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’ led to the decision in 1994 to leave the sea to paint full time and get ready for his first solo exhibition in a local cafe.

Subscribe Today

Jill White

1 September 2016
Abstract, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Mixed Media, Nature, Seascape

FINDING THE SECRETS

I have had no formal art training but I come from a family of art lovers so I always say it must have been through a process of ‘osmosis’ that I learnt to work with colour. Being surrounded by art in the home must have had some subconscious influence. My sister Loy Forrest was the artist in the family so until I came to New Zealand from Botswana, it wasn’t something I had considered doing.

Once I asked a friend’s daughter to do a painting for me but she was too busy so I thought I would try to do one myself. Another wonderful friend of mine Raewyn Coker saw it and took it into the local community gallery where it sold in the first week - they asked me to bring more work in to which I replied “but I’m not an artist and I don’t think I can”. However, I gave it a go and when that one sold, my career as an artist took off. Once I started painting I couldn’t stop, finding a need to create.

Subscribe Today

Patrick Greene

1 March 2016
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Impressionism, Landscape, Nature, Painting, Seascape, Still-life, Watercolour

TAKING A RAINBOW FOR A WALK

A master watercolour artist, draughtsman and recipient of many awards, James Patrick (Patrick) Greene sadly passed away in October 2014.

By Barbara von Seida

In the 1950’s, he trained as a cartographic draughtsman with the Lands and Survey Dept, which was interrupted for two years whilst he travelled his big “OE”. During this time he was actually shipwrecked in British Guyana. His love for art took him to the great museums of the world which left a big impression on him and a desire to become an artist.

Subscribe Today

Nina Cook

1 January 2016
Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Drawing, Expressionism, Figures, Nature, Oils, Realism, Seascape, Symbolism

ARTISTIC COMMUNICATON

Nina Cook’s artistic intent is to communicate but unfortunately, the very character traits that enables her artistic self, makes the act of self-promotion extremely uncomfortable. “I never intended to show my work, but have received such kindness and encouragement from my beautiful husband, children, friends and gallery owners. For me, art is more a vocation from which I would be delighted to earn a living.” Nina tells her story.

I completed a Bachelor of Design at Christchurch Polytechnic School of Art and Design in 2006. The drawing classes at CPIT were to a particularly high standard and an incredibly valuable learning experience. Apart from that I am self-taught.

Subscribe Today

Ira Mitchell

1 July 2015
Acrylic, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Figures, Jewellery, Kiwiana, Landscape, Painting, Seascape, Stylized

IN THE ZONE

The 2010 Christchurch earthquake irrevocably changed Ira Mitchell’s life. In this article she tells of how she faced the formidable challenges of depression and post traumatic stress and found a new direction and purpose through her art.

I was in a high-rise building in Christchurch when the earthquake struck. That, and the ensuing aftershocks, traumatized me to the extent I still suffer from PTS. I was teaching part time at that point and it made me rethink my life and what I wanted to do with it.

Subscribe Today

Jason King

1 May 2015
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Featured Artists, Hyper Realism, Landscape, Painting, Pastels, Screen Print, Seascape, Stylized

MAGICAL INGREDIENT

Award winning landscape artist Jason King, a part-time fire engineer with penchant for making and flying model gliders, had always envied people who could draw or paint realistic pictures and never imagined he would be able to do it himself until one day he decided to give it a try. In this article he charts his course from the sketchpad to the winners podium.

When I first tried my hand at drawing I discovered that drawing ability is not necessarily an innate skill or ability, but rather something that can be learned. I found that there are techniques that can be used to create an image and, for me, the most important skill was developing an eye for what looks good.

Subscribe Today

Geoff Noble

1 March 2015
Acrylic, Animals, Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Drawing, Expressionism, Featured Artists, Figures, Hyper Realism, Landscape, Nature, Painting, Pop Art, Portraits, Realism, Seascape, Street Art, Surrealism

FREEDOM AND MOVEMENT

There is a lot of paint and colour, lots of colour. Bright, vibrant and even startling. And movement, always movement, large bold images leap out demanding attention, captured but seemingly not, on the cusp of rising and falling but nowhere near frozen.

There are paintings all over the place when entering a very cluttered Tahuna Studios in Nelson. Some are complete, overs still in that moment of creation. New and old it is an eclectic mix. Added to this are posters, surfboards, skateboards, and all manner of tools.

Subscribe Today

Ben Timmins

1 March 2015
Artists, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania, Birdlife, Featured Artists, Hyper Realism, Landscape, Oils, Painting, Realism, Seascape

Seascape

Annette Straugheir

CREATIVE FREEDOM

Wellington born of Dutch heritage, Annette Straigheir passed art in secondary school and has attended many art courses and workshops over the years. Still fully employed, she enjoys her painting as a secondary focus, although she thoroughly enjoys the freedom of creativity she finds in her art.

Julie Freeman

Alfred Memelink

Jill White

FINDING THE SECRETS

Patrick Greene

TAKING A RAINBOW FOR A WALK

A master watercolour artist, draughtsman and recipient of many awards, James Patrick (Patrick) Greene sadly passed away in October 2014.

Nina Cook

ARTISTIC COMMUNICATON

Ira Mitchell

IN THE ZONE

The 2010 Christchurch earthquake irrevocably changed Ira Mitchell’s life. In this article she tells of how she faced the formidable challenges of depression and post traumatic stress and found a new direction and purpose through her art.

Jason King

MAGICAL INGREDIENT

Geoff Noble

FREEDOM AND MOVEMENT

There is a lot of paint and colour, lots of colour. Bright, vibrant and even startling. And movement, always movement, large bold images leap out demanding attention, captured but seemingly not, on the cusp of rising and falling but nowhere near frozen.

Ben Timmins

THE NATURAL

Three time winner of the ‘People’s Choice’ award at the NZ Art Show, Ben Timmins is a well-known ‘natural artist’ working out of his studio in Parapara, Golden Bay. In this article he talks about his life, work and penchant for ‘un-learning’.