Personal Background

History

1942 – I was born in Auckland, New Zealand  
1958 – Majored on art and obtained University Entrance at Mt Albert Grammar School

1959 – 1965 Graphic artist and voluntary youth worker

1966 – 1973 developed an art print and picture framing business

1974 – became a professional NZ landscape artist

1975 – Kelliher Art Award, Cambridge Art Award, founded and directed the Downtown Hilton Gallery

1976 – Cambridge Art Award

1977 – Kelliher Art Award

1975 – 1999 many exhibitions  in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch

1984 – time in Israel which inspired many Bible based paintings

2001 – commenced primary school, interactive art workshops which introduced drawing and colour skills to many thousands of children.

Paintings of Landscapes & Portraits

Over the years most of my paintings have been in oils and have focused on clean air, unspoiled places, bush, streams, coastline, the beauty of Creation, people, animals and rural charm. Along the way I became fascinated with capturing and portraying lots of light. I also began to realise that I was not bound to paint what I could see. I could include what I imagined… light and colour effects, objects, compositional changes. This opened the way to paint story pictures and led naturally to...

Still Life Paintings
Still Life gives enormous scope for imagination. Common objects can be selected, positioned and made to relate to one another in ways which offer endless visual story possibilities. Sometimes I give objects human or animal personality, even to the point of adding facial features (see ‘The Holdup Gang’).

Sometimes I present home truths in a gentle, humorous way (the Jug paintings). At other times I try to convey things that have deep, spiritual significance as strongly and eloquently as I can (#225 ‘Remember Me’ and #226 ‘Given for You’). The inclusion of words often helps the viewer to fuller understanding.

Motivation
To begin with, my paintings were direct responses to things I saw. In more recent times I have often started from an idea in my head. This might come when I’m praying, or reading, or listening to someone else. I try to record seed thoughts in written and loosely sketched form. I then go about finding reference that will be helpful in bringing the painting to completion. While I want my art to be interesting, enjoyable and wholesome, I really want to say more… to inspire and uplift.

Ultimately, I want my paintings to reveal that there is a great, overarching, purpose behind life and creation; to present facets of the wonder and beauty of God’s character; to encourage you to discover Him through Jesus Christ; to adventure beyond  the present… to become excited about the future… to live in confidence and hope!

More about my journey, design and the Designer here.

Location
My studio is attached to our home which is on a small farm in a rural area 45 minutes North of Auckland, New Zealand (a scenic wonderland country in the lower South Pacific). My wife and I have 6 children and a large crop of grandchildren. We were able to subdivide the farm and now have some of our children living as immediate neighbors on their own rural properties.