Peter Siddell Paintings 1970 - 2010

Opens Thursday 30 June 6pm.

Every now and then an artist appears who has the rare ability and passion to capture a particular place in such a unique way that the place and the paintings become locked together in our memories.

As William Sutton's vivid paintings present such an enduring picture of the Canterbury region and Toss Woolaston's expansive Nelson landscapes evoke their rugged terrain so strongly, Peter Siddell's paintings over the last forty years offer a very distinctive vision of Auckland.

Once you've had the treat of seeing a Siddell painting with its characteristic mown grass volcanic cones; inviting colonial architecture and impressive big-sky clouds, it's hard not to catch glimpses of 'Peter's' Auckland everywhere. Not Auckland 2011, but a place caught in another time. We are privileged to look through a window into the artist's personal memory of a city he has lived in all his life, a place he has fondly observed and reflected upon again and again.

For those of us who live out West, Peter's paintings have a special familiarity and resonance. A recurring view in Peter's works is looking westwards towards the Waitakere Ranges, capturing the dramatic lighting at dusk as the sun leaves the day. Karekare too has been a much loved haunt for the artist and his family and in the exhibition we are fortunate to be able to show the magnificent Karekare panels consisting of five large panoramic works: Karekare, Ohaka, Zion Ridge, Pararaha & Whatipu, painted in 1990.

Peter Siddell was also a keen mountaineer when he was younger as his painting of Mt Cook Aoraki attests. His view from the top is in equal measures exhilarating and humbling. In recent years both Sir Peter and his wonderful wife, the artist Dame Sylvia Siddell have been very unwell so we are particularly grateful to them and their family for making this exhibition possible.

Event listed by LopdellHouseGallery

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