Current exhibition

NEIL LUSHER - March, 2013. 

Exhibition Launch opens 1st March, 6pm. Sponsored by Hinton's vineyard.

All welcome to Neil's art exhibition launch.  Sponsored by Hinton Estate Vineyard - enjoy a complimentary glass of wine, nibbles and meet Neil who will exhibit is impressive local Otago landscapes.

BIOGRPAHY: I started painting a few years ago knowing  that I would need a hobby when I retired from teaching science for many years. People who have a creative pastime seem to cope best with retirement, men who make things in their shed for example.  Three years into retirement and I now work part-time as a wildlife guide on the Otago Peninsula and paint when the weather gets cold and the days short.

I was accepted as an artist member of the Otago Art Society last year and have exhibited paintings at the Art Station in Dunedin and at the Portobello Art Gallery.  This is my first solo exhibition.

I paint the landscape that I enjoy being in.  The rugged hills of the Pisa Range on Lowburn Station, the coastline of the Otago Peninsula.  I am working on getting more drama into my paintings, capturing the structure of the land, the darks and the lights, the stunning skies we get here and the reflections on water.  Plenty of challenges to keep me going! 

With special thanks to my tutor Roy Almond, the lovely people at Speargrass Inn and my family and friends who have encouraged me in my efforts to become an artist. 

JAN RASMUSSEN -Jan & Feb, 2013. 

Biography: Originating from the South Island's West Coast, Jan Rasmussen has lived in many of New Zealand's regions and now resides in Christchurch. Establishing  herself as a landscape artist she now paints in a wider subject range and media. Spanning the last 45 years, her originals have been sold extensively to collectors both in New Zealand and abroad. My birth place was the Westcoast of the South Island, renown for its beautiful forests Lakes & Glaciers. Painting Scenery was my first love followed by a wider range of subject material, such as still life, street and activity and cafe scenes. Now I publish a range of cards and prints of my landscape, still life and cultural work. Over the years I have lived in many areas of New Zealand including Bay of plenty, Canterbury our now reside in Wanaka. Most of my latest work has been in oil or acrylic. The colour and light I use show to advantage the clear atmosphere of this small country down under and little cousin to Australia. Living in Otago allowed me the opportunity to experience the majestic scenery of Fiordland, with its Mountains Lakes and Bushland. During this time I received a tremendous amount of exposure to the New Zealand landscape which has to be some of the most inspirational scenery in the world. I've also been involved with many tourist ventures, such as building restoration, earth construction and treatment of buildings which led to an interest in sod cottages, stone and timber construction, therefore painting buildings became another creation. From my private studio I also run art classes and weekend schools for a restricted number of students. I travelled to Italy, four years ago, for the first time. This year, to the Greek Islands, Southern and Northern Italy and Provence in France. Autumn in Central Otago and its vineyards is a never ending source of inspiration. I love my work and have always regarded my buyers as friends sharing with me the love of the New Zealand landscape.