Art Inspired by New Zealand Landscapes

As a child I showed an interest in paints, so my parents sent me to a Saturday morning children’s art group at the University of Canterbury. I was not only able to paint using tempera, but was also able to draw the plaster casts of Greek and Roman antiquities which surrounded us. My working life, however, had nothing to do with art but in the 1970s I was able to attend a series of evening and weekend art workshops. I also attended several summer schools run by the University of Otago at Kurow and in Dunedin.

Tutors have included Paul Olds, Gordon Crook, Jeanne Macaskill, Doris Lusk, Don Binney and Quentin McFarlane. These artists were predominantly landscape artists except for Gordon Crook whose main interest was colour. Consequently my main art interests concern the landscapes of New Zealand and colour.

Lately I have been painting watercolour abstracts which are multilayered or patterned. Patterns and colours are mainly derived from tree foliage. I have also painted acrylics of tree gardens.

I have regularly exhibited with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Watercolour New Zealand many times, and also at other venues. I have been a committee member of Watercolour New Zealand for 15 years, recently retired.