NZ’s Greatest Artist Suffered Rejection

elias NZs Greatest Artist Suffered RejectionColin McCahon (1920 – 1987), arguably New Zealand’s greatest artist, was described by Gordon Brown as “a powerful and unique force in New Zealand painting.”  Yet for many years he suffered from misunderstanding and rejection.  Many still miss the point of his work.

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Michael Smither: St Francis in Ecstasy

saintfrancis2 Michael Smither: St Francis in EcstasyThis second painting of Saint Francis by Michael Smither depicts the patron saint of ecology – Smither’s favorite saint – in a state of ecstasy in the presence of nature. Like many NZ artists, Michael is strongly influenced by the landscape.

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Motives For Destroying Art

gustav metzger Motives For Destroying ArtIn the first of 2 articles based on BBC TV’s new art series “Art Attack”,  Lawrence Pollard, the series presenter, draws on some historical examples to explain attacks on both secular and christian artworks, and the destructive element in  the work of some modern artists.

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Art From Death Row

deathrow art1 Art From Death RowAn Art show with a difference in Oakland CA showcases art created by death row residents at San Quentin, “Oakland North” – a news project of U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism – reports today.

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Michael Smither: “I Would Have Been a Franciscan”

saintfrancis Michael Smither: I Would Have Been a Franciscan“If I hadn’t become a painter, I would have been a Franciscan,” is how Christian artist Michael Smither described himself in an interview with the New Zealand Women’s Weekly in 1969.

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Michael Smither: “Art Gives You An Emotional Map”

railways2 Michael Smither: Art Gives You An Emotional Map“Art gives you an emotional map of your environment.” Michael Smither 4 Dec 1971. Michael Smither has long been one of my favorite New Zealand artists.

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