Our pre-Christmas exhibition is once again an all-woman gathering of multi-media artists. Whimsical takes on personal themes, each of these artists serve us their ‘Signature Dish’.

The exhibition runs for three weeks finishing 18th of December, giving plenty of time to wrap a Christmas gift for someone very special.

Lisa Grennell’s work is whimsical, much like a child’s imagination. Designed to make the viewer smile and think of their own childhood, whilst questioning contemporary society and its impact on the environment. ’The Simple Life’ is inspiration for this new work.

Blanche Fryer’s work for this exhibition has been inspired by the anthropomorphic interpretation of the inner life of fish. “We hear of horse whisperers, canine communicators, mammal channelling, but you never hear of a yarn with a fish , excepting if there is a hook on the end. It has been really enjoyable creating these characters and also playing with a few different glazes.”

Jane Downes pieces ‘Dwell’, a continuation of her body of work ‘Shelter’. Designed almost completely for function and the upholding of cultural values, offering shelter, protection and observation. These works are also an exploration of form, pattern, scale and light, extending the work through the formation of shadows.

Kara Burrowes explains her rationale – “I’m drawn to the layers and history of the urban environment; exposed walls, discarded objects. Often it’s the banal and mundane that sparks an idea, the concept of transforming something quite ordinary into something precious and alluring.”

Amy Hoedemakers “I used sketches from walking down the riverbed and words to begin with or as reference points. I wanted my work to have the feeling of looking into another world, of it stretching on, almost as though you could step into it but having an abstract quality at the same time. Predominantly I’m inspired by the natural world, painted in a mixture of sizes and formats in oils.

Sheila Brown

As I grew up on the east Coast of America, throughout most of my childhood weekends were spent in the mountains of New Hampshire with my family.  These weekends away always involved hours of either painting or drawing for there was no television or other children to entertain me, just nature to investigate and record.

Moving to New Zealand in 1994, I became a professional artist soon after winning the opening Award at the Invercargill Licensing Trust Exhibition in 2005.  More recently I was the recipient of first prize for the Gaye Croft Award in Dunedin.

Participating in joint events throughout the country gave me the confidence to become a full time artist.  I am lucky to have some wonderful galleries represent my work , the dedication and hardwork that the galleries  put in is endless and very time consuming.  I appreciate all of their hardwork and feel very privileged to say the least.

I find that acrylics are best suited for my style of painting, which I would describe as a cross-over style:  expressionism and abstract.  I begin with the pallet knife to create the mood, laying down the foundation of my painting freely and spontaneously with patches of colour that have become  very characteristic of my work.  I then turn to the delicate  bristles of the brush to tell the story, whichrequires a more disciplined and delicate  approach to obtain the intimacy with the subject that I try to express.  I  am able to achieve the shades of colour quite easily and dramatically, exaggerating certain aspects of the subject.  Although I enjoy all different subject matter, I find that I most often return to the Sea Birds, Native Birds and the wee Back Yard Birds, and of course the Seascapes and landscapes of this beautiful country.

I have a certain sense of surprise at the unexpected energy that evolves within me from living by the beach,estuary and the hills in Christchurch.  My inspiration comes from my surroundings , it could be a morning walk down the beach, certain colours that ripple through the sea or the afternoon light in the hills, listening to the song of the bell bird or the return of our godwits, fascinated with their journey…the inspiration is endless.