How would you describe your recent works?
My dress series is inspired by the history of antique fabric, embroidery and intricate lace design. Each dress has a magical world within it. Each painting is done in high quality acrylics and is highly detailed. A single work can take many months to complete.
Where are you based?
I live on a farm in Ruby Bay, Nelson, New Zealand overlooking the ocean with my daughter Daisy, our two dogs Sammy and Margaret, Reggie the horse and Edith the sheep. My studio is filled with an eclectic mix of inspiring objects I have collected over the years. It is sunny and bright and situated in my garden. It is a place I can disappear to and be truly creative. I start painting in the morning with a good strong cup of tea and inspiring music playing in the background.
Did you study fine arts or are you self-taught?
I was brought up in a very creative family. I have been drawing and story telling through my art from a very young age. I studied art at Polytechnic for one year. Then went on to work as a sculptor for WETA special effects in Wellington. I also spent many years working in the art department for The World of Wearable Art (WOW). I started painting in 2017, so in that field I am self taught.
What is your work about?
I am inspired by the beauty of nature that surrounds me, my rambling garden and all its inhabitants. The native forests and the seaside.
My portrait series depict places, memories and landscapes I hold within. These experiences I have painted as precious worlds and landscapes. The woman, inspired by the captivating and sometimes stark portraits of the Elizabethan period, represents resilience and strength; she is me. Te Rangimarie holds magical childhood memories of forest walks along untrodden mossy paths alongside clear green rivers, surrounded in birdsong, insects, reptiles and the giant land snail and the captivating beauty of this untouched world. Stories and myths were told to me on these walks that fueled my imagination. In my upbringing I was taught to respect our natural world, everything great and small deserves wonder and kindness. These early teachings have greatly influenced me as an artist.
Pick three art world players you would invite to dinner.
Alan Lee, Kate Bergin and Shelly Reed.