Sunday, August 23, 2009

TWO HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE NEW ZEALAND ART BOOKS

Wellington-based Seraphine Pick (pic left) graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Canterbury in 1987. She held her first solo exhibition at CSA Gallery, Christchurch in 1989, in 1991 she gained a Diploma in Teaching later teaching for two years at Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland before becoming a full-time artist in 1999.

In the 10 years since she has become recognized as one of our leading painters with some 18 solo exhibitions to her credit.
Now the Christchurch Art Gallery, increasingly significant art book publishers, have published a superb 184 page hardcover book ,superbly designed by Aaron Beehre, featuring full page colour images of more than 100 works of Pick’s most significant works.
The book includes essays by Felicity Milburn, Lara Strongman, Jon Bywater, Allan Smith, and Andrew Paul Wood, an interview with Sally Blundell, and a short story dedicated to her by Elizabeth Knox.

SERAPHINE PICK
Christchurch Art Gallery,
$79.99


Stanley Palmer was born in 1936. He has been a fulltime artist and printmaker since 1969 and has had numerous exhibitions throughout New Zealand. He lives and works in Mt.Eden, Auckland.
Last week Craig Potton Publishing , another publishing house punching well above its weight, published EAST by Stanley Palmer, with a thoughtful introduction by curator/poet/artist Gregory O’Brien.
This beautifully presented landscape format hardback is an extensive collection of 136 of Stanley Palmer’s works ranging across four decades. From early woodcuts through to Palmer’s unique bamboo engravings, evocative monoprints and paintings, EAST celebrates the work of one of our most-loved and prolific artists.
EAST is a companion title to his previous book WEST (Godwit) – published in 2000, long out of print sadly.

EAST includes 59 paintings, 52 prints, 9 monoprints, 3 woodcuts, 12 drawings and one screen print. Sumptuous stuff, and anyone with a fondness for New Zealand’s northern east coast should put this on their Christmas gift wish list.

EAST STANLEY PALMER
Craig Potton Publishing
$120.00

I am proud and delighted to have these two books in my library.

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