Bloom (2010)

Colour, intensity and light exude from the featured works in ‘Bloom’. Focusing on flourishing plant life, flowers, flax, buds and blooms are celebrated in paint, glass, stone and print by leading New Zealand Artists.

Significant painters show the diversity of practice and technique applied to similar subject matter. Karl Maughan’s rhododendron works are well-know but in ‘Colyton’ he offers a new perspective: one can peer through the tree trunks. ‘Boot Hill’ is bright and vibrant, showing the cool of shadows and the warmth of the sun in a picturesque garden scene. Neal Palmer shows the Rhododendron in a completely different light: silver lines form glimmering patterns on fuchsia pink background. Whether exploring the koru form or literal flower, Reuben Paterson’s florally inspired glitzy works burst with light and colour. New works by Peata Larkin have the quality of cross-stitch, derived from both her unique technique and the English Rose subject. Recent works by Charlotte Handy explore Heaphy’s Garden and have a soft abstracted quality while Mary Mulholland’s flowers look hyper-real.

The three-dimensional works in the exhibition allow one the feeling of walking around a garden. Niki Hastings-McFall’s pieces literally burst with light, while Neil Dawson’s ‘Beam - Golden Oak’ emits a golden glow. Evelyn Dunstan’s glass work is technically brilliant. Cast as one form her twisting and turning glass leaves and flowers are mesmerising. Ann Robinson’s pure forms inspired by nature have a skilfully controlled depth of colour. Sue Hawker presents two new works in the form of her Ranamok Glass Prize winning piece entitled ‘Too Much’. Using a pate de verre technique, these brightly coloured and highly stylised flower works stand out in a crowd.

Event listed by Milford Galleries

View their other events or contact promoter