I’ve painted in watercolour for a number of years, and am an artist member of the Otago Art Society. I exhibit there regularly and was president from 2004 to 2007, remaining on the council since stepping down as president. During my tenure as president, the OAS moved to its present site in the Dunedin Railway Station.
The North Island educated me, though not in art; that really happened in the South Island, where I taught mainly English and drama, practising art in my spare time.
I also paint in oils, focusing on views of and from the city and on landscapes in both media, largely in Otago. I’ve had watercolours chosen for a couple of calendars. For me watercolour offers a more fascinating process than oil.
Dunedin may not be large, but it does offer great variety and reflects so much of the history of New Zealand in its heritage and architecture. This creates plenty of challenges as well as opportunities for the artist. The harbour, the hills and the weather provide a rich atmosphere.