KÄpiti artists to feature at NZ Art Show
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Loading... - Claude Garcon
- 31 May 2022
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Owie Simpson
Owie Simpson can have as many as 45 paintings on the go at the same time.
Working in series, Owie's current series Subliminal can be seen at the New Zealand Arts Show this Queen's Birthday weekend.
"I start by putting marks down, throw colour on, and then as the painting develops it starts talking to me and I start to look at how I can move people through the painting.
"I start one painting in the series, and when I've got a few ideas down and am wondering what to do next I move on to the next one."
She can have 15 large scale paintings, normally done in oil, and 30 smaller ones with acrylic in her converted-garage studio.
Creating moods with layers, textures and colours, Owie starts off freely, before refining the work as she reaches the end.
"One of my old art teachers said start as a stonemason and finish as a jeweller - really get in there with the detail at the end."
Painting for the last 17 years, Owie has been doing it fulltime for the last four years and loves to create large works.
Her works portray a mood with colours layered onto the canvas creating textures.
"When you look at the paintings you can see there are conversations in them, some loud and some quieter.
"I have clients who have bought them and noticed things a year later … they don't get bored with them."
Excited to share her work, Owie said, "I'm really excited to be showing my work because I believe the organisers have picked people who are showing a body of work to present rather than just individual pieces to sell."
Ronda Thompson
Last year Ronda Thompson, known for her Wellington waterfront scenes, discovered autumn leaves.
"While they'll probably be a phase, I've enjoyed painting them and they've been very popular," she said.
"I've done another three medium and two small ones to go into the show, but have still got a lot of Wellington scenes and a small piece from Lindis Pass down south.
"I enjoy doing my Wellington ones, but the autumn leaves are different because I don't work off a picture, it's all in my head."
The autumn leaves allow Ronda to work quicker as she can choose where each leaf goes and how much detail to put in, whereas in a Wellington scene, the buildings are so detailed and well known that she has to spend longer getting it just right.
"I do what I like, but I also have a good idea for what sells."
Taking photos at dawn or dusk to paint, Ronda loves the vibrancy the hours close to sunrise and sunset present with the sun glistening on the water and reflecting off the windows of buildings.
Doing the NZ Art Show for around 17 years, Ronda's paintings have become more refined over the years.
"I used to do chickens which were very successful, and sunsets too, but I got sick of them and now am enjoying doing my Wellington waterfront scenes."
James Brewer
Painting whatever he feels like with no rhyme or reason, James Brewer's work spans from aliens on imaginary planets and a monkey in a Mickey Mouse suit to nature and street scenes.
"I just do what I do and there's no rhyme or reason to it, it's just madness," he said.
"I take everything that's come to me through life and put it onto canvas."
This includes social commentary with James doing a whole series on the New Zealand flag debate and recent works featuring Russian tanks.
One of his works named Moonscape is James' take on what life on an Earth-like planet would look like and has taken a whole year to complete on 150 x 240cm acrylic on canvas.
As the youngest of four siblings who often seemed to be running away from him, James found himself with plenty of time alone, and it was here that he turned to art.
Drawing at home, at the back of the classroom at school, and even while he was supposed to be working in previous jobs, James would find himself drawing and doing art.
Now he draws, paints and works as an artist for a living.
"When I first did the NZ Art Show I had no idea what I was doing, but organisers put me in the best in show competition which is voted on by visitors, and it was a terrible painting.
"I've now had that painting above my bed for the last five years and my goal has been to get another painting into that competition and win that."
Michelle Retimana
Michelle's bronze Cirque du Soleil girls have become her signature over the last few years.
Casting happens once a year, with the whole process done in many stages, taking most of the year.
"I'm entering my bronze sculptures which are the same but different from what I've made before.
"Same girls, different poses."
Making a mould for each sculpture, Michelle never repeats a mould, creating every single piece differently.
She will have two series of works at the show, her Cirque du Soleil girls and her dolphins and whale tails, all made out of bronze. Read More…
