Sharnaé Beardsley is a Christchurch-based artist whose work repurposes the venerable genre of flower painting for a contemporary context – in particular, orchids. The orchid flower is viewed as the symbol of the relationship between nature and culture as humans have historically contributed to their evolution by interfering with their form and colour. This obsession which our human culture has with the desire to control and cultivate nature, very much informs Sharnaé’s art practice.
Carrie Broomhall is a mixed media contemporary artist, creating bright, organic, joyful, and unique works from her home studio in Christchurch. Drawing inspiration from the world of fashion, interior design, nature, and unlimited amounts of imagination, Carrie’s art embraces a multidisciplinary approach, celebrating her genuine love of colour and life through the creation of her vibrant works.
Georgina Hoby Scutt works across a range of media – painting on linen, plywood and canvas; also producing screen prints on paper. Informed by her print & pattern design background, Georgina develops distinctive, warm and earthy colour palettes and paints with broad expressive brushstrokes. Georgina considers herself primarily a Colourist, her work is loosely figurative, lightly abstracted and fundamentally joyful.
Abbey Merson’s art encapsulates her love of florals, landscapes and vibrant colours. For Abbey, painting is a form of escapism, allowing her to make sense of the world and to re-visit memorable moments of her childhood. Although Abbey’s work continues to evolve as she explores the never-ending world of colour, her art almost always begins with a foraged flower or a treasure gifted to her by a friend, before intuitively taking on a life of its own.
Harriet Millar is a Christchurch-based artist working mainly with acrylic and occasionally oil. Harriet’s works are hugely inspired by her love of the New Zealand landscapes and the flora and fauna. She enjoys the emotive connection between subject matter and the buyer, “I am especially happy when a person has bought a painting of mine and contacts me to let me know what it means to them, a flower their mother loved or a place they were married, it’s their stories that motivate me.” Her interpretations involve substantial layering of paint using bold, loose brushstrokes and hints of unexpected colour.
Carmel Van Der Hoeven is a multidisciplinary artist working with paint, clay, and illustration. She can often be found under her moniker George Sand Studio. Her current work is unapologetically feminine, confronting her own contemporary journey as a woman as well as challenging the perspective and ideas of the viewer. In dreaming up her various works, Carmel looks to the surroundings that resonate with her. Her floral series involves marking the canvas with meticulous painted brush strokes, creating an intricate visual of time and rhythm within nature.