Some of our Artists for 2022

Bless Groome

Hello! my name is Bless Groome! I go by She/Her pronouns. I’m a 16yr old artist from Hokitika who wants to start her own business, selling stickers, stationary and handmade items to fandoms/people of all and any kinds! And I already have! I sell merchandise for shows like ‘Project 863’ and Dream SMP. Along with Lgbtq support stuff, While also selling my own original designs! The grey and white wolfs all over my branding are my mascots ‘Jazz’ (white) and ‘Lofi’ (grey). They represent the different sides of my business. Art art wise, I mostly create digital art, via procreate on my iPad.’ 

Louise Thwaites

Hi, I’m a landscape artist from Christchurch.

Prior to this I worked as a pharmacist until I decided to focus on my art. I’ve been inspired by other people’s art all my life and find it an indescribable pleasure to be actually creating and selling it myself!

I grew up on a small farm in Levin then after studying in Dunedin moved to Invercargill where I met my husband, Gordon, who is from the beautiful Catlins. We lived in Asia for several years with our daughter and travelled to other places, but NZ with its outdoorsy lifestyle and relatively unspoilt landscapes will always be home.

Mainly I work from photos and sketches from tramping and travelling in NZ.  Most of my paintings feature water in some form. I use oil or acrylic and experiment with different surfaces and techniques. I’m not sure how to describe my evolving style – perhaps ‘expressive realism’. I try to evoke a feeling of calm and peacefulness so the viewer feels uplifted.

Someone once encouraged me and gave me the impetus to get started. Now I encourage you to have a go at art regardless of your age.  Attend a class, learn some skills and be inspired. Unleash the latent artist within you! The desire to be creative is part of all of us.

My art can be viewed on my website :

https://louisethwaites.smugmug.com

facebook/Instagram: @Louise Thwaites Art

Lynne Groome

I started painting for the first time a few years ago, having never done it before Art and painting for me has been like discovering magic. I cannot imagine a day without painting. I now see the world and everything in it in a new way. I see beauty shadows light and colour I hadn't noticed before. 

My wish is that my art can bring to others not only pleasure but helps them to also see how amazing our earth and nature is.

Slade Tiller

My name is Slade Tiller. I am a local West Coast artist.  

I love to create meaningful art, mainly painting beautiful scenery from local areas or from my imagination, or a combination of both!  

The beautiful surroundings of where I live inspire me to paint bold, vibrant paintings or moody and atmospheric settings, using inspiration from local landmarks, granite mountains, majestic trees, coastlines, and dense bushes.

Glen Davenport

I live in the beautiful Nelson province in the village of Riwaka on the edge of the Abel Tasman Natio

nal Park.   During my husband’s terminal illness,  10 years ago , a friend sat me in front of a piece of Canson paper and a few basic pastels and said “go on see what you can do”!   I had never drawn anything in my life….had been weaving for 30 years and that was my passion…..as well as running a B & B business and rearing 3 children.

I was hooked!...  I found diversion and stimulus.   Later,  I joined the national Pastel Association, where I found help and encouragement and opportunity to attend many workshops and demonstrations…Five of my pastels have been judged and accepted for National Exhibitions and several have been sold, giving me renewed impetus to continue exploring this wonderful medium. 

Marlene Trounson

Carver Marlene Trounson has turned her dream of working with greenstone into an actuality – and a passion.

She had, for many years, worked with natural gemstones and pearls to create distinctive fashion jewelry. Ten years ago her personal circumstances changed when the tragic closure of Pike River mine meant she lost her job. She enrolled for the Diploma in Jade and Hardstone Carving at Tai Poutini Polytech. “I started full of excitement, but within days was asking myself what on earth I’d got myself into,” she chuckles. “I hadn’t touched carving tools before, and it was definitely more complex and challenging than I had anticipated.”

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But she persevered, graduated, and now creates a wide range of beautiful carvings - traditional pendants and earrings as well intricate sculptured works including flowers and delicate leaves. While 90% of her work is with greenstone, she also works with other gemstones and agates sourced from overseas.

Marlene has been exhibiting at Art in the Park since 2009.

Terry Salt

Terry likes to paint - what more needs

 to be said?

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He has been a member of the Greymouth
Art Group for 20 something years and most recently Watercolour New Zealand Inc.
Has exhibited at every Art in the Park festival  apart from the first (Busy in hospital). Terry has expanded from water colours to acrylic and oils, depending on the subject,
with the sea and fishing boats and gold mines being popular subjects for
commissions with modern freestyle style flowers.
He has paintings scattered throughout the world, America, Canada, England,
Stewart and the North Island as well as the Mainland. He has no Art
qualifications, just enjoys painting and learning from other artists..

Struan McDonald

Struan is based in Little River on Banks Peninsula where he divides his time between painting and counselling. Painting has been a lifelong love of Struan's and after leaving school he attended drawing and painting classes at Southland Polytechnic. He began painting in oils soon after and over many years has developed his technique using this medium.

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His work typically portrays remote, solitary scenes. Having lived most of his life in Otago and Southland, he continues to draw inspiration from Central Otago with it's craggy mountains and majestic skies. Fiordland is also an inspiration, with many works depicting the beech forests and rivers in the area.

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For Struan, painting is a way to combine creativity with an interest in the outdoors and in tramping. Tramping trips inevitably become photographic journeys and a means to gather source material. His style of painting continues to evolve and recent years have seen a shift away from landscapes to focus more on wilderness. This interest in the wilderness reflects a fascination with the natural world, where modification by humans is less apparent. The paintings are intended not only to communicate a sense of awe of the natural environment, but also to stimulate gratitude reminding us that nature is precious and requires our care to restore and protect it.

Chris Webster

My speciality is highly-detailed pen and ink paintings of people, animals, houses and vehicles of all kinds. For the past few years, I have been working on a series of West Coast trees, from Rata to Matai, growing around the Coast as far as Haast. My illustrations have been published in a variety of books, including children's’ stories and homestay guides. I have exhibited at Art in the Park since its inception. My other art interests include cartooning, calligraphy, logo design, photography, bone carving and driftwood sculpture. This year, using my calligraphy skills, I have produced a “West Coast Birth Certificate” for sale. All the prints for sale here are on German stock paper, printed by Microfilm Digital Print Christchurch. Larger or smaller prints are available on paper or on stretched canvas.

Sarah Godfrey

Born and raised on the West Coast of the South Island, Sarah moved to Dunedin in early 2000. It was here that she completed a B.F.A at Dunedin School of Art, graduating in 2003. Inspired by her lecturers Lyn Plummer and Peter Cleverley, Sarah discovered that painting was her calling and this became her major in year 3 and 4 of the degree. She received the ‘Derivan Art award’ while studying in her last year.

In the years following her degree Sarah concentrated her efforts on working in the Interior Design industry. While this is still an interest for her, a holiday with her parents reignited her passion for landscape painting and on returning to the West Coast in 2013 she set up her current studio on the Godfrey family farm. 

Sarah’s work is largely inspired by New Zealand’s vast landscapes. She is particularly interested in colour and emotion rather than trying to create a realistic scene. 

Sarah’s work can be found in several galleries throughout NZ and she has recently exhibited at the NZ Art Show in June 2021. 

Jan Fraser

I think my journey started as a youngster growing up on a New Zealand farm; being lifted into the wool press to keep me out of trouble when I followed to the wool-shed at shearing time. I come from a family of artists, and leaving school, went on  to study craft design. However it wasn't until 30 years later I took up felt making. I have dedicated myself to explore and express myself through the medium of wool.

I am passionate about my country and believe I live in one of the most inspiring corners of the world. Not only is New Zealand beautiful, it produces high quality wool, which I source locally, direct from small farms and family run businesses. By preparing fleeces myself, and hand dying for individual pieces, I craft truly one off works of art.

In the handful of years I have been making felt I have studied under some top international tutors, Fiona Duthie being very instrumental in my development. I have had exhibits in exhibitions both locally and internationally, and sell in Greymouth’s Nimmo’s Gallery, online at https://lomahfelt.wixsite.com/home and through facebook https://www.facebook.com/lomahfelt

Currently I am working on some home furnishing projects and exploring creating  lightweight, warm apparel suitable for tramping. I am also anticipating tutoring locally, and always available for commission work.

Maxine Burney

As a passionate and prolific art maker with over 30 year’s experience, I enjoy working with a diverse and rich visual imagery. My inspiration comes from Nature, travel, dreams and inner musings, people, relationships, life....everything really that touches or moves me in some way, gives energy to create. As of 2021, I am back creating from my Christchurch Arts Centre Studio and Gallery. I remain an active member of the Arts Community, exhibiting, demonstrating and tutoring both locally and nationally. Looking forward to coming over to Greymouth again to Art in the Park .

                                             Art connects me to my spirit and helps me sort out life!

                                                                   www.maxineburney.co.nz