Rebecca Holden
We are thrilled to share the work of New Zealand artist, Rebecca Holden! Rebecca is a painter based outside of Wellington, New Zealand. An expert of color and gestural brushwork, she creates unique narrative in each scene. Much of her work is project based, including her ongoing series of Encounters and The Grimm’s Fairy Tales. She is the creator of the comedy photo project Cyril and Friends, which was inspired by multiple summers of cicada swarms, resulting in dead cicadas everywhere! This project showcases the adventures of Cyril the cicada and his insect friends.
She earned her MFA from Massey University Wellington and also works as an arts educator. She has exhibited throughout New Zealand and had her first international solo show in 2017.
Rebecca explains her work:
The processes of painting and drawing ground my artistic practice. The exploration of these materials and techniques equips me with a means in which to explore the subjects that inform my work.
My artistic projects are often triggered by personal association. Coming from a historically young and multicultural country I am curious about my family history and my country's history within a global context. This interest has been explored through a number of arts projects namely 'Sand in the Apricot Jam' (2014-2018) and 'A Home Away from Home' (2018).
There is something about our geographical isolation that makes us kiwis keen to fly. I find the experience of travel greatly informs my work, but not necessarily consciously. This curiosity in regards to history and other cultures and an openness to experiences, enables those encounters to inform my work.
These sparks of interest invariably lead to investigative research. That in turn further informs the artwork. This research not only helps to guide what is represented in the work, but also the structure of the artwork, the scale of the work and the materials used. My artwork is regularly informed by the written word, be it regarding historical events, fairy tales or novels; intertwined with an innate curiosity I have what informs my practice.
Narrative and figuration are important aspects of my work. Representations of birds and animals, a regular feature in my works, are often juxtaposed beside the human form. Interwoven into the composite arrangement of my paintings. The creatures often play the part of messengers or as metaphors for different aspects of humanity.
Each artwork is only partially planned initially, as it's important for me to allow for the work to evolve through the act of painting or drawing, allowing chance happenings to occur. In my paintings I often employ different levels of finish within the one piece. Sketched forms are set against layered, more highly rendered areas. Gestural marks operate alongside precise brushwork in an attempt to portray the subject matter or narrative I am exploring. Previous layers and corrections are often left partially visible marking the progress of the works journey.
I am very interested in creating projects that connect with the community. I feel painting has a unique way to speak a common language. At the very least it is a visual language that enables me to respond and others to respond to the work.
Fine her online at her website and Instragram
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