At work in my Raglan studio.
About
I live in the west coast town of Raglan and moved here a few years after graduating from Elam art school in Auckland. There my painting tutors were Garth Tapper, Bob Ellis and Don Binney. By the time I was at Elam, painting techniques were no longer taught and artists’ learning had to be self-motivated. There was an explosion of avenues of artistic expression in the 1970’s and painting was perceived by many as an outdated medium. A group of us students spent many evenings at the local Kiwi tavern passionately discussing art with Don. Garth’s life-long love affair with painting taught us about the dedication needed to be an artist.
For the last 45 years I have focussed on earning a living. This is a dilemma for any artist who wants to spend their time being creative. Somehow these two things are uncomfortable partners as it is a pervasive belief that one has to be either poor and creatively fulfilled, or selling work and ignoring the call of the muse. My combination of graphic designs for Live Wires NZ and realistic landscape paintings have been popular for years at the cost of setting aside the inner call to explore new ways of working.
At 65, now is the time, (now or never)!
Solo Shows:
Show Off New Zealand, 1/1/2000
Raglan Locals and Landscapes, Show Off NZ, Raglan, 3/1/2001
New Watercolours, Show Off NZ, 1/1/2002
Structures and Landscapes, Show Off NZ, 1/1/2003
West Coast Classics, Heritage Gallery, Cambridge, 30/3/2004
Views from Whaanga Road, Show Off NZ, 1/1/2005
Summer by the Sea, Heritage Gallery, 31/3/2005
To Port Jackson and Back, Images of the Coromandel, Heritage Gallery, 2/12/2005
Twelve Summers, The Art Boutique, Tauranga, 20/10/06
New Work, Show Off NZ, Raglan, 1/12/06
New Work, Heritage Gallery, Cambridge, 15/10/07
Raglan Gold, Heritage Gallery, Cambridge, 18/10/09
Summer Light , Zohar, Mt Maunganui, 15/1/10
The Inner Garden, Combined Artists’ Studios, Raglan, 30/10/10
There Is No Planet B, Show Off NZ, Raglan, 1/1/12
There Is No Planet B, Heritage Gallery, Cambridge, 18/11/12
Legacy +-, Soul Gallery, Hamilton, 8/8/14
In the Garden, Soul Gallery, Hamilton, 23/9/15
Enchanted, Heritage Gallery, Cambridge, 9/11/16
Postcards from Paradise, Heritage Gallery, Easter 2017
Random/Related, 17/10/17, Soul Gallery, Hamilton
New Work, 8/11/18, Heritage Gallery, Cambridge
Awards
Finalist: Painting and Printmaking Awards, 2016
Group Shows
Endangered, Inspirit Gallery, Tamahere, 29/10/10
10 Raglan Artists, Artspost, Hamilton, 2/12/10
Flower Power, Inspirit Gallery, Tamahere, 4/11/11
Galleries where original paintings are exhibited:
Artists at Work, Raglan
The Little Galleries, The Coromandel
The Mandarin Tree, Gordonton
Zea You Gallery, Taupo
Galleries where prints and reproductions are sold:
Heritage Gallery - Cambridge
Show Off Gallery - Raglan
Soul Gallery, Barton St. Hamilton
The Little Gallery, Tairua
The Little Gallery, Whangamata
Ora Gallery, Wellington
Little River Gallery, Akaroa
The Wonder Room, Wanaka