From Birds in Uniform to Landscape Artist - the journey of starting again.

I hope this gives reason to my choice to turn to Landscapes and away from Birds as subject matter in my paintings.     

Since I was young, I always found art and creative subjects were my thing.  I enjoyed drawing a lot, and still do, art subjects were what I spent the majority of my time pursuing.  Throughout high school I excelled in art, as well as achieving top marks I won 3rd place in the national portrait competition in the year 2000 where I was flown to Wellington to receive the award and get my picture taken for the front page of the NZ Herald.  I was accepted into Elam school of fine art in Auckland at 17yrs old (I didn't end up going there - the concrete city wasn't appealing to me) I found my university was to be at Unitec in Mt Albert because of the free parking and easier accessibility - I was young and chose comfort over a prestigious University.   

After finishing my degree, I couldn't find a job immediately - not one related to art anyway.  Looking back, I am not sure if it was a wise decision for me to do an art degree as it set me up with a huge debt in the beginning of my life, which I found difficult.    I will give credit to the onsite workshop - the technician there taught me how to build strong stretcher bars for canvas, and my tutors taught me how to stretch them.  This experience was invaluable because I still use these skills today and have extended upon them.  The frames I made 20 years ago are still straight and strong, and I enjoy the process of making things.

I worked for an accounting office as a receptionist in Ponsonby, also a receptionist in a lawyer's firm in Abu Dhabi, an illustrator in New Lynn, a flight attendant in Abu Dhabi, an egg room factory worker, and as a gallery receptionist in Henderson.   I also spent 730 days working as a full-time artist solo which I found was a really concentrated time and it gave me 2 solo exhibitions, many commissions and a live painting demonstration in Real Groovy, and paintings used in a movie made about Katherine Mansfield.  This was the time I produced the series Birds in Uniform.

Birds in Uniform was such a popular series that connected with many people - it was inspiring and new for New Zealand bird artwork.  I could have kept on painting new ones, and I did for quite some time producing many more.  After painting many paintings of birds (not just birds in uniform but natural NZ birds), in oil on board, watercolour on paper and acrylic on Rimu, I decided I wanted a new challenge, I had a long time calling to take on the very popular subject of landscapes.  So, I decided to be brave and enter the big sea of landscape artists and join in on the fun.  Painting the places I visit and absorbing the Landscape as inspiration.   I have painted many smaller landscapes, and a few large ones, settling on a combination of large and small because the smaller ones can be completed a little quicker - after painting a large painting I feel I need that sense of achievement in completing something smaller.

I am happy with how I coped with the stress and preparations of the build-up to the two solo exhibitions I had back in 2009 and 2011.  I am proud of my younger self for that because preparing for shows really is exhausting and artists and galleries do so well to manage everything involved with those events.  It is not easy.  My advice to my younger self would be to take it easy and realise there is no pressure to do those solo shows just because many other artists do.  I was in such a rush to make everything consistent and completed on time (one of the paintings was still wet on the opening night).  I was also trying too hard to make sure people enjoyed it and visited on the opening - instead of looking after myself and chilling out I was very stressed about it all working out ok.  I really wanted to succeed as an artist, yet I didn't need to worry about this at all.  If something isn't the right time - no matter how much effort you put in, it won't happen, and it may never happen - but that doesn't matter.   Looking back, I should have just relaxed and enjoyed seeing my art on the wall, just like everyone was doing.

So now after learning and going through some years of life, I still love art as much as always, I still paint most days and I still enjoy exhibitions and selling artwork, but now I take it easy on myself, and I don't put pressure to succeed on my shoulders.  My paintings have a longer process and benefit from not being rushed as I benefit from enjoying them and being happy with the process and final artworks.  Now I find it hard to let a painting go because I am making art that I really enjoy.  Time to do some painting.