Thoughtful Faces and Familiar places’ explores quiet moments of contemplation - subjects caught amidst inner reflection, set alongside landscapes that experiment with colour, light and movement. The landscapes and interior spaces depicted are places familiar to me, and in some works, familiar to the subjects themselves. These environments perhaps offer a sense of safety and familiarity – spaces where inner thoughts can surface and unfold.

As an emerging artist, I am thrilled to share this body of work, which reflects the journey I’ve taken since graduating from Wintec with a Bachelor’s in Contemporary Art. Over the past few years, I’ve been developing my personal aesthetic and signature style – a process that continues to evolve as I refine my visual language and deepen my understanding of portraiture, landscape, and the relationship between figure and ground.

In my earlier work, I explored painting portraits from found images- faces collected online. Often, I wasn’t aiming to capture a likeness, but rather to push the limits of colour and light. I gravitated toward calm, restful expressions rather than those that conveyed overt emotion.

Later, I began experimenting with figure and ground using photos I took myself- of family members, mostly my sister, my dad, and myself. With these references, I felt more pressure to capture the likeness of the figures, knowing the subjects themselves would see the results.

Painting landscapes has also always been a passion of mine- something that runs in my family, tracing back to my great-grandfather, Horrace Watkins-Barlow. A graphic artist by trade and visual artist, he worked on Hallmark cards and was involved in designing the well-known Edmonds sunrise logo. He passed this artistic gift to my grandfather, David Watkins-Barlow- a pastor who sold landscapes in his time. He, in turn, passed it to my mum, Helen Hyde-Hills, who sold landscape paintings before I was born, when my older siblings were young. Now she has passed it on to me and my siblings, who also enjoy visual art.

I am proud of the eclectic range of work I’ve created and hope you enjoy it too- perhaps even find a piece that resonates with you. I’m especially grateful for the support of the Matamata-Piako District Council, and to the Morrinsville Art Gallery, where I’ve had the pleasure of volunteering over the past two years.

Visit Us at Morrinsville Gallery!

• Weekdays (Tuesday to Friday): 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

• Weekends (Saturday & Sunday): 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

• Closed on Mondays