About

Have you ever been walking in the bush or by the sea, been captivated by a beautiful scene and want to take it home, or keep it forever? This often happens to me. Sometimes I take photos; more often I try to immerse myself in the scene so that I can remember the colours and how it felt and sounded when I paint it later.

For me painting is about being fully present. As each moment passes, I endeavour to stay present and explore its possibilities. It’s like a form of meditation or prayer. Suspending judgement and expectations, being open to risk, struggle and joy are what move me. It’s a practice of choosing to be in the present moment. I search for quiet spaces and stillness where I find opportunities to make the best choices for day to day living.

The inspiration for my paintings is about my relationship to my surroundings; my home, my city, the contrasts of wildness and calm through the seasons, the colours, sounds and feelings. As I work I explore surface, shape, colour, texture, composition and mark making. I try to respond to the sensory experience of being, and translate this into narratives that express the connection between my inner and outer world.

I usually begin by doing lots of very loose drawings and marks on paper. Sometimes I tear them up and put them back together, experimenting with composition and adding in some colour. Eventually I move to painting with acrylics on hardboard or paper, building layers until I am satisfied it is finished.

I hope you will find your own quiet spaces in my work.

All my paintings are for sale in New Zealand – You can contact me through my email (via my contact page), or Instagram @elizabethkarori