Thought I would update you on what I have been cooking up in the studio these past few weeks. The painting below is a work in progress titled ‘Naveen’, 1500×1000mm Oil on canvas (a big one!!). This is a man I met at a local restaurant when I was adjusting the art I had there. He was the only one in the room and it looked as if he was there precisely for me to paint! Naveen (known better as Benjamin) has a very inspiring story very similar to that portrayed in the movie ‘Lion’ (go watch it if you haven’t already!). The backdrop is Ngakuta Bay where I grew up, viewed from the perspective of someone inside a boat shed on the waters edge. Feel free to let me know if you are interested in securing this painting for yourself.
It seems I have fallen into a bit of a series based on tourists discovering our beautiful New Zealand. From my Charlie series of a lovely French lady, to Navin who is German adopted from India, and next up a mixed race German girl. In this day and age of travelling and connection all over the world through the net I think this series is highly relevant and this present day exciting reality is certainly not well explored in the art scene (no pun intended). I guess perhaps artists are a little timid to venture outside the box of painting those who are from or supposedly ‘belong’ in the scene they are in, or perhaps there is still a stigma against ‘tourists’ (aren’t we all though? I like to be one even in my own town!) ……how much more interesting to paint those ‘discovering’ a place! I am excited to see where this series takes me.
