Kathy worked as a nurse in the UK and NZ for many years before fulfilling a lifelong ambition to go to art school later in life. Her family emigrated to New Zealand from England in 1980. She has sketched and painted all her life, and after her children became independent, studied for a Diploma in Fine Art at the Whitecliffe School of Art in Auckland.
The family sailed a traditional kauri sloop on the Hauraki Gulf, which gave her the opportunity to paint the beautiful island anchorages in all weathers, and the many features of life at sea.
The family sailed a traditional kauri sloop on the Hauraki Gulf, which gave her the opportunity to paint the beautiful island anchorages in all weathers, and the many features of life at sea.
Farmland near Te Awamutu with Mt Kakapuku - LINK to Waikato Landscapes
Kathy moved to a rural area, South of Auckland thirteen years ago with her husband, and began a Waikato series of paintings depicting rural landscape and gardens, finding it a great way of becoming acclimatised.
'The wide open skies, the green pastures, trees - both native and exotic, mountains, rivers and lakes, together with isolated signs of habitation such as fence posts, farm houses with colourful gardens - and water tanks set high on a hill.
AND A HUGE SENSE OF SPACE AND FRESH AIR THAT MAKES IT ESSENTIALLY NEW ZEALAND.'
'Christmas Rose and Magnolia' - LINK to NZ Garden Series
A keen gardener, she enjoys the exercise and has a love of growing things in their half acre section. After a day of painting in the studio, she searches for a flower or plant to use as subject for a small, quick palette knife painting to use up the paint left on her palette! Larger paintings emerge from these depicting the light and shade of favourite areas of the garden.
'Storm Warning, Gannet Rock, Hauraki Gulf' - LINK to Marine Folio
For two decades her work mainly Marine and Narrative painting (see below), was exhibited in Auckland galleries, including Art by the Sea and Art of this World galleries in Devonport, and the Studio of Contemporary Art, Newmarket. Highlights of those years were working as a resident artist at Lake House Arts Centre in Takapuna, and organising the Stars and Stripes gallery in Auckland's Viaduct Basin during the 2000 Americas Cup Regatta.
'Atelier, Provence' - LINK to French Series
Having visited France several times, once arriving in Paris on Bastille Day, and spending many happy hours discovering the delights of such places as Provence and Paris, it was just a joy to paint this French series and 'relive the moments.'
Having visited France several times, once arriving in Paris on Bastille Day, and spending many happy hours discovering the delights of such places as Provence and Paris, it was just a joy to paint this French series and 'relive the moments.'
 'Grafted to this Land' - LINK to Narrative Series
The paintings in this series tell a story in mixed media, whether it's rounding the mark in the America's Cup (as in 'Box Seat at the Mark'), or the thoughts of immigrants gazing at One Tree Hill in Auckland as depicted in "Grafted to this Land'
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'A Bird in the Hand' - LINK to New Tondo Series
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A complete departure from the recent landscape paintings this new series is still in process, creating exciting, unique compositions combined with tactile mixed media. This approach was explored previously in the Narrative series.
Her work is held in private and corporate collections in N.Z. and Overseas, including Carter Holt Harvey, New York; Graeme Hart; Telecom NZ; Dennis Conner, Stars and Stripes Americas Cup 2000 Syndicate and the Prada Americas Cup 2000 Syndicate.
Awards:
Finalist Telecom Art Awards 1992
Finalist North Shore City Art Awards 1994 to 2000
NZ Sugar Company Awards at Pumphouse, North Shore, Auckland - Seascape Award - 1995 and 1998, and Merit Award 2003.
Oil Painting Award, Mairangi Arts Centre Members Exhibition 2004
Influences:
'The New Zealanders Toss Woolaston and James Nairn; the English artists J.M.W. Turner and John Constable; the Americans Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer and the Australian Heidelberg Group have all been a source of inspiration in landscape and marine work.
Wallisy Kandinsky's work has always held a fascination for me with his wonderful use of colour and innovation'.
Awards:
Finalist Telecom Art Awards 1992
Finalist North Shore City Art Awards 1994 to 2000
NZ Sugar Company Awards at Pumphouse, North Shore, Auckland - Seascape Award - 1995 and 1998, and Merit Award 2003.
Oil Painting Award, Mairangi Arts Centre Members Exhibition 2004
Influences:
'The New Zealanders Toss Woolaston and James Nairn; the English artists J.M.W. Turner and John Constable; the Americans Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer and the Australian Heidelberg Group have all been a source of inspiration in landscape and marine work.
Wallisy Kandinsky's work has always held a fascination for me with his wonderful use of colour and innovation'.