About Me

Hello and welcome to my website!

I’ve been painting for over 25 years while bringing up my family of 5 children.  They are all grown up now which allows me to paint full time. While bringing up my family I tended to paint quickly as I had limited time, that’s how I developed my expressionist way of painting, I practiced ways of using the pallet knife and found I loved the freedom it gave me, sometimes I will spend more time on something, Addington many layers. I like to paint vibrant colours and deep rich contrasts with a combination of brush work and painting Knife, creating textural impressionist colour tapestries and strong contrasting works imbued with light and energy. 

 Ive always loved the outdoors, growing up in the country on a dairy farm and doing lots of great walks throughout New Zealand. My ideal holiday is to go tramping and to take my paints with me, I love to paint enpleinair   wherever I can. I also love gardening, pottery, music and animals, especially my cats, we have 7 at the moment.

Some of my work is directly inspired by my environment, while other pieces depict my travels and outdoor work.   My studio is in a barn on a mountain prairie below Leaning Rock mountain, it is so beautiful here, theres so much variety and change in the seasons. 

My Art Style

I love Colour! impasto and to paint loose, strong contrasting works imbued with light and energy. I love to use painting knifes which has a textural impasto paint style and loose brush work to soften areas,  revealing layers of subtle colour underneath, sometimes building up many layers, this gives my paintings a blended and sharp effect, and a sense of movement which reflects more light.

Art Awards

Telecom Art Award

Central Otago, Blossom Art Exhibition Award

Central Otago, Blossom Art Exhibition Award

Central Otago Arts Gold National Exhibition

OTHER GALLERIES AND LINKS WHERE I SELL MY WORK

https://www.artshow.co.nz/artist-details/helen-blair/

https://www.eadegallery.co.nz

https://www.redbubble.com/people/helenblair

https://www.instagram.com/helenblairsartnz/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/HelenBlairArtist?ref=bookmarks

http://www.centralstories.com

https://www.waihibeachgallery.com

https://twitter.com/HelenBlairsart

http://www.cdimaging.co.nz

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+HelenBlairsArt

FAQ

Do you paint from a photograph or life?

I paint from both! I love photography and often Im outdoors taking photos, I also love to paint outdoors amongst the beautiful mountain landscapes, rivers and lakes we have in the area. The photos I use are for reference only, mostly Im painting from memory.

Why do you paint with a pallet knife?

It all started when I first began painting over 28 years ago,  I found I had more emotion and passion in my work. The palette knife gives me an amazing feeling of freedom!

How do you ship your art?

In corrugated cardboard and a few layers of bubble wrap,  it is couried with tracking and insurance , and should reach you in excellent condition. If it should reach you damaged take photos, keep the packaging and contact me immediately.

How does painting make me feel and what makes me create art?

Seeing this beautiful earth, I feel so much love for and everyday I am inspired to paint it! I often imagine how I will paint something, the strokes and colours, the composition, It makes me feel alive and complete! it also takes me into a world of calmness and at peace which has helped me to be able to deal with the outer stresses of life, its an amazing and satisfying feeling to put paint onto canvas. I love colour and strive to put energy and passion into my work, I like to give people a feeling of connection, to be drawn into it by the contrasts of light and colour and a sense of movement.

I am constantly evolving as an artist, one of the best things about being a professional artist is that I am able to make a living out of something I love to do every day, this is an amazing liberating feeling along with the joy of being able to touch people with my art.

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Moody Mountain by Helen Blair
Moody Mountain by Helen Blair

Nearly 7 years ago I  moved 10 kms north of Alexandra, Central Otago, where I am living amongst the mountains.

Screenshot 2015-12-06 07.23.15

Receive a FREE art print below of Pohutukawa Beach

helenblairsart-Pohutukawa Beach
Pohutukawa Beach

 

Rights of the Artist – Copyright

Artists always keep the Copyrights to their creations. It is therefore not legal for third parties/buyer of the art to create any kind of (print) material(s) or media from the original Artworks, because the artist keeps these rights whether or not it’s sold.