Denita Tizard Wanganui – Painter, photographer and web developer. I am a prolific artist producing contemporary pieces of art which is being exhibited & sold around the world.
My creative influences are Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, the Pacific culture, people, colour, textures, nature, love, music, my faith & connection with the world.
My love of the arts has taken an amazing journey in 2004 I opened the Paint Pit, a working artists studio, & in 2005 the Quayhole Gallery. My goal was to provide a safe environment for people alike to come freely to exhibit & create work with the exchange of support, kindness & knowledge which was fulfilled with artist's nation & worldwide using the space.
I currently work alongside my husband Shaughan in web development, the treasurer for the Wanganui Arts Society, run paintpit.com an online gallery, wanganui.org a community online portal, enjoying married life, & am at the beginning stages of starting a family. To view Denita's work click here Websites:www.denitatizard.com
Diane Fazzini Wanganui Artist
As well as working on her own artwork Diane likes to share her enthusiasm with others. Diane is interested in getting a group of landscape painters together for painting weekends and group exhibitions. Diane recently stayed the weekend at the Mangamahu Hotel, well known painter Philip Clairmont found refuge there for the last years or his life. Diane would like to take people there rain or shine as she is sure this rustic building and its rugged countryside will inspire you as it has her.
Diane also holds day and night beginners painting class. It is based on the Dutch Masters technique, which is the style of painting she prefers to use. It gives good results for beginners and is explained in three simple steps. If you would like to learn this technique then give Diane a call on 343 3151.
Art did not feature largely in Kate's life apart from a few visits to art galleries in London and Glasgow. The first time she viewed a Monet at the Tate Gallery it bought tears to her eyes. Since immigrating to New Zealand in 1974 she learnt appreciation and participation.
Kate only realised that she could draw in 1985 when attending Marlborough Boys College where Keith Reid was her inspiration, she was 45 years old. Since then Kate has been tutored privately by Mary Archibald, Clair Jennings, Mark Spratt, Brian Carmody, Juliana Jarvie and Jan Aldritt-Miller at workshops at Inverlochy Art School.
Kate has annually exhibited her work for 9 years at The Academy of Fine Arts and has had collective and solo exhibitions in and around New Zealand.Kate's work is held in New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, America and Holland in private collections.
'In making woodcuts I appreciate the natural force of wood and the fact that we should be encouraged to use wood as it promotes the implantation of young trees in Central America instead of chopping them all down.' Kate Livingston
Drawn and painted since she can remember, Anni has always seen images within things around her.
She loves colour and enjoys using it. Retaining a sense of fun when she paints is important to her and she aims to lift the spirit.
Growing up near London, her mother was her first teacher (commercial artist).
New Zealand is now her home.
She has studied Design at Otago University and majored in Art at the Dunedin College of Education. In recent years Anni's art has been sold throughout New Zealand and overseas.
Artist in Mixed Media “Imagination is more important than knowledge” Albert Einstein. My art is inspired by a life-long love of beauty and balance. Story telling, whether fact or fiction, is the catalyst for my work. I create visual tales, leaving the viewer to weave the story that relates to their own life journey.
Symbolism is used extensively. The vessel depicting personal journeys - Bird, personification of soul - Tree, home to Soul - ladder, spiritual ascension - Key, holds the answers to the challenges and opportunities the doors and windows offer. Myths, metaphors and personal experiences are often melded together to create evocative and sometimes magical works. Inspiration may come from a chance meeting with a strange character a simple conversation with a hidden meaning for me or by exploring the frameworks of my dreams and emotions.
Music also influences my art. I am drawn to tactile music with lots of layers, grit, texture and emotion. For me, this is the music that evokes magical visions.
I surround myself with materials and found objects and respond to what is around me. I play, building layers into my art and create as it comes to me, rather than to a ‘Prescribed Correct Theory'.
I trust my intuitive gifts to show me the way to tell my stories.
Born of English and Dutch descent I live and work in Wanganui. Primarily known for my watercolours I also work with acrylic, oils, pastel and graphite.
To capture a moment, a flicker of light, a memory, is my ultimate challenge. I like to create subtle and textural details which border between abstraction and representation. The fragility of watercolour produces a rich depth to my works capturing an essence of light and atmosphere on the multi layers of the collaged surface.
I am an exhibiting member of the Academy of Fine Arts and Watercolour New Zealand.
To view a selection of Nieske's paintings click here
Greg Page Auckland Artist
Greg Page is an emerging New Zealand artist. His work combines an energetic, figurative style with text and creates a strong sense of narrative. Greg's paintings are graphic, bold and demand attention.
He keeps us paintings locked up in his studio and only shows us once or twice a year. Apparently there are pictures of us on a website called www.artbythepage.com but that could be a rumour. Some of us have been in the painting studio for ten years but many of us are only 6 months old. We all hope someone nice will come and unwrap us from the bubblewrap and take us to their home. We all hope for that...
Mark Rayner has been living and working as an artist in Wanganui since 2002, concentrating mostly on ceramic work.
He also writes regular garden art columns for Weekend Gardener magazine and is currently working on his first book 'Garden Art Projects in a Weekend' due for publication in August 2007 by David Bateman Ltd.
The project photos on this web site are taken from this forthcoming book, which will be out in stores soon. The book looks amazing it has step by step directions to create garden art for your garden.
I'm a 39 year old multi-disciplined artist and designer and secondary school teacher who lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand. I have been practicing art since going to Art School in Wanganui, New Zealand in 1995. Where I majored in ceramics and graduating in 2000. Due to studio restraints I moved away from ceramics when moving to Auckland and pursued painting which is in my blood due to a mother and great grand father who had the passion also. Over the past two years I have revisited the realm of 3D thinking and I am finding much delight in creating these sculptures.
Among my disciplines are painting landscapes and abstractions in oils and acrylics. Sculpture using found materials, wood, stone, clay and steel. Digital photography and even digital video.
I draw my ideas from my surroundings, with much of my work deals with social and ecological issues. These are either portrait as conceptual or stylized in a literal way.
At present I am exploring symbolism in relation to my current surroundings.
One morning in 2001 Lisa woke to a burning desire to practice art on a fulltime basis, a desire she is thankful she acted upon, as with everyday the passion to create art grows stronger.
For Lisa the main ingredient in her paintings is the use of colour, the power and energy, weaving together stirring up feelings and emotions for the viewer. She uses bold colour in my mainly contemporary works, which reflect nature, and also have a strong indigenous feel to them.
Lisa is married with 4 children, who share her love of art and together they enjoy creating art along side each other.
Patricia Tamariz Wellington Artist Patricia is an American painter, based in Wellington. She is also a teacher, visionary and illustrator. This series explores the dreams, seasons and atmospheres of the heart. The heart is an ever changing climate filled with lyrical forms that make themselves known only after they are ready to be discovered.
Her work comes from what Maori call tuaatea, knowledge that is 'beyond space and beyond time'. Tua-Atea is the world beyond any space-time framework, it is infinite and eternal.
The working process is loosely based on internal dialogues and intuitive impulse. Engaging in an ongoing conversation with the work itself, she creates order from chaos. Plunging in and searching for hidden relationships, rendering layers, sometimes thick, sometimes washed; working with the light, colour and depth until a sequence unfolds, revealing a secret narrative.
To view a selection of Patricia's work click here Bobby Koro Wellington Artist
My name is Bobby Koro, I am a full time Tokelauan artist from Porirua.My chosen medium is painting, though I enjoy working with clay, wood and stone. The majority of my work focuses around the history of Olohega, which once was an atoll of Tokelau taken from us without consent, until Olohega is returned we as a people will never be whole. Therefore my art has taken me onto the path of autonomy.
To view a selection of Bobby's work click here Aaron Frater Wellington Artist
My current body of work is a return to my childhood roots, filtered through 25 years of art making. As a child I made art, all art, any art. I loved making forms, I loved coloured pens.
In later years I studied art, delved into sculpture & carving honing & refining my 3-D art making. I painted as well, did murals, etc keeping up a 2-D art making practise.
My current works are a meeting point of these ideas, techniques, themes & concepts - that have been with me for many years. The works all use modern materials in a fine art manner. I am investigating form & surface creation with a wide range of materials.
My materials have mutated from paint & canvas, stone & wood to plywood, fabric, paint, insulation foam, polypropylene, glues, tapes, metals, etc, etc - ubiquitous modern construction materials. The colour & texture in the works is Perspex (acrylic resin), polypropylene, paint, glitter, fabric, etc. Some of the works have been heated, some layered upon layered, some barley touched – all have been treated as individuals, the idea, the tools, the materials all combining in unique ways.
My wife myself and two girls came permanently to New Zealand in 1972 and lived for 23 years in Auckland. There I worked as a toolmaker first in the hardware and later in the wine industry. I was oil painting during this time but became very interested in stone carving and in the late 70s built the necessary equipment and started carving in soft stone and later in Jade. As I was finding it increasingly difficult to juggle between work and the carving I bought a set of woodcarving chisels and started carving in wood as the results were quicker but of course the problems were different. We went back to England for some years in the 90s and I was invited to exhibit there and also in America in woodcarving shows. We now live in Marton and with more time to observe the beauty of the New Zealand landscape locally and further a field the oil painting bug has once again bitten me, I have tried brushes but find painting with a painting knife more sculptural which I prefer and I think it is better suited to the scenery at hand. My two most influential painters are the American William F Powell and New Zealand's Douglas Badcock
I came to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1999 from the US. I am a teacher by trade and heart, am amazed at Life itself and the teachings it has for us all.
I believe that creativity can be applied to all aspects of our lives – in everything that we do. Following my heart is the way I work best artistically and in general. For me, painting is one expression of this.
My first series of work, ‘Whose View?’ aims to express the many perspectives we humans have on the same situations; the stories that get perpetuated; the nebulousness of what the Truth of the matter is; the silence, which results for some of us.
Manawatu artist MeLanie Wrigley comes from a family of creative artists and has enjoyed painting from an early age.
Lanie paints in acrylics, her works often depicting landscapes or representational symbols. Her abstracts are intuitive and capture feelings and emotion.
Lanie has travelled widely around the world, independently exploring other cultures and galleries for inspiration and personal development. Her unique style, although forever developing, is bold, colourful and positive with spiritual undertones.
My paintings tend to reflect the colours and experiences of my life in the continent of my birth, Africa. I am largely self taught, but have attended many workshops with well known artists in South Africa, as well as here in New Zealand.
I am presently enjoying Life drawing / painting with a vibrant group of artists which I enjoy. I work in pastels, watercolours and oils. This year I start a fine Arts Degree with UCOL in Wanganui.
I am an exhibiting member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, and also a member of the Wanganui Art Society.
My art and painting has been a great focus in getting to know New Zealand, and it has brought me into contact with many people, some who have subsequently become close friends.
Art was his favourite subject at school and dabbled in painting over the years.
Noble moved to New Zealand in 1969.
To wards the end of his working career he started talking art classes. He attended night classes in Upper Hutt for 3 years, an art course at Kilmarnock College Scotland on an extended holiday last year. Now retired Noble was a resident painter at The Paint Pit but now paints from home and enjoys sharing his love of painting with the world!
He is a very happy person, with his kilt and bagpipes. What do they wear under their kilts?
Noble has over 50 paintings in homes around the world he feels much peace when he has a paint brush in his hand. To view a selection of Noble's work click here Deanna Gracie Christchurch Artist
Contemporary JewelleryFrom a lifelong interest in making things, I began to study jewellery design in 1992. I soon realised I had found my niche and have been happily creating contemporary jewellery ever since.
I draw inspiration from the beauty of the natural environment and vibrant New Zealand culture. Observing the changing tides and fascinating bird life on my daily walks around the Southshore spit allows endless design possibilities to surface.
The idea of permanence in jewellery is important to me and so I choose to work in precious metals and gemstones. I love creating works with contrasting colours and textures using layering techniques to achieve a tactile 3D effect.
Free form organic shapes are my favourite. Each piece of jewellery is made from the heart and so ends up being a truly unique piece of wearable art.
Amie is a full-time contemporary artist specialising primarily in acrylic paintings that incorporate elements of the New Zealand landscape or the figurative beauty of the female form. Amie's work has a positive quality as she paints intuitively preferring deep rich earthy colours to create pieces that exude warmth and create a sense of calm, serenity and romance.
Amie was the winner of the painting category at the 2006 "WOMAN'S WORK" Art Awards Competition and her work is now displayed in a number of galleries across New Zealand. “The reason I paint is simply because I love the act of painting itself. It is important to me that my art has a positive quality and brings pleasure to the viewer.” - Amie McCarron
Tines has always been passionate about art, ever since she started drawing on the walls with pens, pencils and permanent markers as a child (much to her parents' exasperation!). Nowadays, her mediums of choice are acrylics on canvas, and charcoals/pastels on paper.
Her inspiration comes mainly from her vivid, colourful dreams. She is also compelled to paint what she feels as this draws out the rawest instincts within her as an artist. She also interprets single words or a song into a piece of art, letting her imagination and emotions take control. Her work ranges from contemporary abstract art to photo-realistic landscapes and portraits.
Tines was born in Malaysia to Indian and Chinese parents, and grew up in a melting pot of different cultures and religions. Her interests include reading, mythology, astrology, poetry, playing the piano, experimental photography and browsing through op-shops and flea markets.
Tines is a trained graphic designer and has a Bachelor of Computer Graphics and Design from UCOL Wanganui. She is also an active member of the New Zealand Artist Guild.
Donna is a Self taught artist fascinated with creating and loves to paint and sculpt. Combing these two mediums and experimenting with all sorts of different texture it gives her work a unique 2d Dimension. Donna is a Total Texture Junkie!
Donna's Inspiration comes from her moments in life and the love of the outdoors, nature and all its beauty.
She lives with her very patient husband and their two gorgeous girls, who understand her obsession and love of painting.
Donna's work can be found in Private Collections, Galleries and Cafés throughout New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
A long artistic heritage almost guaranteed Collette would have an interest in art and so it proved. She began painting young, prevailed on family and neighbourhood artists for lessons, and revelled in their skill and knowledge. Eschewing formal training and the artistic style and methods of others, Collette developed a unique style early. She believes the growing popularity of her art can be attributed directly to this individuality.Picasso, Dali and Kandinsky have latterly influenced her style. She uses bright, funky colours on any subject that sparks her imagination. Texture remains important and Collette uses anything from pumice and black sand to artist quality texture mediums. Known for her modern, contemporary work, Collette has two distinct styles: her serious, abstract work, and a fun, contemporary range that includes an increasingly infamous character - Boozehag. Her artworks sell worldwide, including in Britain, Germany, Russia, USA, Canada, Spain and Australia, as well as from galleries throughout New Zealand.Collette finds painting extremely rewarding and puts her heart and soul into it. She finds it most satisfying to portray emotions and feelings on canvas in a visual communication. She’s humbled by the appreciation of her work.
To view a selection of Collette's work click here Rif Raf Auckland Artist Rif Raf's works was born as part of the reaction to the distorted contemporary female image as propagated by media.
Freeing her from the unrealistic demands of the media image, she gained her real features, curves, body, molding herself into a unique piece of art reflecting how real women are and how they can feel about themselves- powerful, sensual, voluptuous and beautiful. On display in you home or work place her presence reminds all who admire her not to buy into the media BS.Or maybe Rif Raf is just a crazy artist.
I took up painting through a C.E.S. class around 5 years ago after a severe stroke left me unable to work. I had always enjoyed other people's art but never considered it an option for myself.Previously I was self employed as an agricultural contractor, hence the strong farming influence in much of my work. I enjoy using colour and my work has a vibrancy not usually associated with water colour. I have also experimented with portraits with some success and produced some pleasing work with pastels.
My work tends to follow themes, my earliest efforts featuring tractors and farm machinery, then I completed a series of farming scenes. Then there was a historic theme with old and sometimes derelict buildings. I am currently working on a series involving horses that I am to exhibiting in August.I am happy to take on commissions.
December last year my wife Margaret and I moved from Waiinu Beach Waitotara to Wanganui where I continue my interest in gardening as well as painting daily. To view a selection of Ewen's work click here
Paula Ann Signal (Rere) Whanganui - Painter,photographer, singer/songwriter, Early Childhood Teacher.
Ko Kurahaupo te waka. Ko Rimutaka ooku maunga, engari ko tooku te maunga te Taranaki. Ko Wairarapa te roto. Ko Tuhirangi te marae. Ko Ngaati Kahungunu te iwi. Ko Paula Ann ahau. No Paakaraka ahau.Kurahaupo is the waka that my ancestors came to Aotearoa on. The Rimutaka ranges is where my ancestors resided, yet I class Mount Taranaki as my Mountain. The Wairapara is the lake of my ancestors. Tuhirangi is our Marae - traditional Maaori meeting house. I am of Ngaati Kahungunu descendant. My name is Paula Ann. I live in Whanganui township. Born and bred in the Whanganui town, I have spent years travelling around the North Island always returning home to nurture my roots.
I stored the paintbrushes away to pursue a qualification in Early Childhood Education and have recently dusted the old faithfuls off and find myself capturing my surroundings utilising photography, diverse mediums and recycled wood. I shall be jumping on a wakarererangi (airplane) before this year is done, with great intentions to teach in Africa. I wake from dreams of Africa, and it's red earth, which are inspiring my painting missions at the moment - especially the Mama's. My appreciation of Aotearoa and the wahine (women) of the land is also a strong inspirational force. Aroha & ka te ra xo.
To view a selection of Paula Ann's work click here Chavah Kinloch Invercargil Artist
Chavah is a self-taught Artist that paints in acrylics and uses symbolism and poetry to express a paintings meaning.
Raised in a diverse family and society, Chavah has always been surrounded by colour and culture, which has greatly influenced her painting style.
Her paintings are based on experiences and inspirations from her own life, that she wants to share with the world. A strong influence of love and beauty is carried through all of her art.
Chavah also enjoys experimenting with texture to create mixed media projects and signs all of her artwork with her uncommon initials CTTK.
Ronda Turk Horowhenua Artist Ronda lives in rural Horowhenua. Her home based studio is set in mature gardens with views extending all the way to Mt Ruapehu.She returned to school as an adult student, completing a bursary in painting and undertaking commissioned sketching while raising a family. Her drawings are detailed, with a strong sense of light. Around the same time she became involved with theatre set design and painting, finding that the large, loose shapes required on a set created a balance between the two extreme styles. Ronda continued her education with The Learning Connexion, where she completed a diploma majoring in painting and drawing. Her painting has developed an intuitive style with a strong sense of colour and tone.Contributing influences include music and nature.
I have never been trained and prefer to focus on art from my mind and heart which allows me to create something that is pleasing to my self and perhaps those that view it.
I have been involved in surf life saving since 1972 and this has given me an appreciation of the aquatic environment and all that is within it. I can now add art and specifically painting with acrylics to my current historical record of work and life.
My love of art has been simmering under the surface for some 30 years and it was only when my wife was hospitalised with GBS that I took up painting. The ability to paint surfaced in October 2007 which is about when my very first "throwing paint at the canvas exercise" began and I think I can say I enjoy what comes out.
I have found that I can not paint from a photo as my expectations on the end result are way to high which means I can't accept anything less than a perfect replica, so I stay away from copying pictures and people. I never know what will come out and this is the most exciting part of the painting process as it is always pleasing to finish a painting and enjoy the participation and completion of creation.
One of my favorite sayings is: "You can accomplish anything you set out to achieve, it is only yourself that allows you to choose how many things you want to achieve".
All of my artworks contain a little something of my life, past, present and future and are art deco inspired plus my very vivid imagination. They usually have fleeting moments of passion, thoughts of love and beloved things within my life, captured in them, always trying to show the beauty of the world around me as I see it.
I confess to being a dreamer and observing my surroundings with 'Rosie coloured glasses'. I always see good things, before bad and try to portray beauty within each piece. I have exhibited extensively in London, Europe and New Zealand, where I now live and feel so much at home. I have many private collectors, all around the world who have become my friends. I have been published in Society Magazine, California USA on 3 occasions, with Suzie De Co, Jeopardy and Valentine featured as the front cover artwork.
Artist Statement... I enjoy paintings with strong composition, saturated colour, contrast, and a dash of texture. I do not have any prejudgments as to what a finished painting should "look" like in the end, but rather what it should feel like. I prefer to paint images where the subject is still, but the colours and textures have movement. During the process of painting a picture I like to experiment, looking for a new approach to a painting. This may be seen in the way I portray the relationship between the subject and its surroundings. The Masters, the colours of Camille Pissarro, the light of Monet, the textures of Van Gogh, and the classical beauty of Michelangelo influence me.
Artist Bio… In 2000, Brian began teaching himself the really old-fashioned way...by trial and error. After 3 inspiring trips to New Zealand and 1 to Europe he began to dedicate more time to his painting. He enjoys working with various subjects, but often returns to florals, due to his love of plants. Brian has been visiting and living in Hamilton New Zealand for over 8 years and is currently working towards getting residency. Currently he has several pieces as part of private collections in New Zealand and the US.
Jenny was born in Auckland. She started out doing cartoons in the classroom, both as a student at school, and then as a Primary School Teacher. She trained in graphic design 1985, and became keen on illustration, which was a strong aspect of her work. Jenny traveled overseas and worked in both Sydney and America, and returned to NZ in 2000. Completing a Graduate Diploma in Computer Publishing at AUT University in 2006, and then started her own business called Wild Line Design. Jenny has been painting regularly for a few years now, as part of her business.
Denita Tizard
Diane Fazzini
Kate Livingston
Anni Morris
Carolyn Stephens
Nieske Hutchison Dip A & C (Hons)
Greg Page
Mark Rayner
Mikel Durel
Lisa Ormsby
Patricia Tamariz 
Bobby
Aaron Frater
Richard P Cotgrove
Jody Gorse
Melanie Wrigley
Sandy De Kock
Noble 
Deanna Gracie
Vanessa Paikea
Amie McCarron
Tineswari Maruthamuthu (Tines)
Donna
Collette Fergus
Rif Raf
Ewen Stratford
Paula Ann Signal (Rere)
Chavah Kinloch 
Ronda Turk 
Mark Godwin
Rosie Harper
R. Brian Ezzell
Jenny Jeffries