This exhibition of landscape painting depicts pastoral, provincial and aquatic scenes and situations that mingle recollections, historical events, tender encounters and furtive activities. The works in the show make comparative use of the styles and visual vocabularies of both of us to picture regional locale in ways that play with memory, realism and make-believe.
Our fascination for road trips and get-aways to peculiar and local spots, water holes and beaches is for us and for so many, an intrinsic part of our nature. Such places as Opal Hot Springs, Spa Park on Waikato River, both Te Aroha and Ngaruawahia Domains, Huntly Speedway, capture both the idyllic and idiosyncratic in our regional identity.
The project seeks to link back to and re-vitalise traditions of regionalist painting in NZ in the 1930s and 40s with its pre-occupation with place and local identity. But also to equate to more current work where local places are linked to socio-political themes.
This exhibition develops on themes and methods from previous projects; Tracy’s, Deep Enough to Swim In (2009), Meet Me at The Water (2012) and There is a River (2006) and Tim’s, Pioneer Highway (2015- 2017), and The Wonder and Loss of Familiar Places (2013 – 2015)
The proposed exhibition will be of interest to local and national art audiences who with some understanding of contemporary and historical painting in this country and an affection for the vernacular of the Waikato and Thames Valley.