I've been crafting and refining this collection for months, extracting moments from living in the mountains here in Queenstown and finding balance within myself, and releasing this onto the canvas.
The meaning behind the collection
This collection is an ode to the spaces in between, the connecting thread that bridges this and that - the space that signifies balance. Here, we soften into ourselves and into the world around us.
Inspired by the land and bodies of water in central Otago.
The inspiration
Living, adventuring, working and being in the mountains is all inspiration for me. Up to 3 years ago I was very much a coastal girl, and although I love and miss regular salty days I equally love the life in the mountains now. I love the true seasons here - a snow, hail, ice winter, a blossoms everywhere spring, cook an egg on the road summer, and an orange and yellow autumn. These works are inspired by different seasons, and therefore carry different energies and meanings.
Read the meanings that accompany each painting to understand the inspiration behind each work a little more.
BTS of the collection shoot
It's important for me to shoot my artwork in nature, the place that inspired it. It feels like it completes the circle; adventure-inspo-paint-then bring it all together. These shoots are like a proud art mum field trip, introducing my babies to the world lol.
With this collection including many Otago seasons, and locations, I was trying to figure out where we should shoot it to feel 'true' to the inspiration put in behind it.
A few options were tossed up (they will be used in future collection shoots!), but I decided on Moke Lake - fun fact this is the first place my partner and I hung out, and since we have had lots of picnics, long days swimming and fishing, and many hikes here. The lake has diverse views wherever you look - the U shaped lake in one direction with what looks like an island in the middle, vibrant pasture hills and paddocks from the local farm on another side, snow topped and rugged rocky mountains on another, and then a long valley is visible too.
My partner and adventure buddy, AKA photographer Stefan Haworth did an aaamazing job capturing this collection. Really, quality photography is SO valuable for artists to give justice to their work and share the energy behind the works/the artist.
Creativity came into play...
Before we left home I said to Stefan, hmm it would be cool to create a backdrop. Next minute my creativity is in full flight and i'm up on our back hill pulling and tugging at some fallen down manuka branches (poles for the linen sheet I was thinking!). Stefan came out after watching me battle and suggested something a little more upperclass as he got out wooden poles and rope which I admitted looked better than the manuka still stuck in the grass.
I have to share this because it felt too good to be true... so I packed a bunch of random things, 'just incase' things, that we could need for the shoot and to my amazement ALL were used. Hemp string, a stool, stainless clothing pegs, camping pegs, and an axe (hammer I was thinking). The string ended up playing a vital part in hanging the paintings that I decided to do last minute despite a breeze and poles I didn't 100% trust to stay up, and to cut it... the axe, and to reach the pole to hang the paintings... the stool, and to keep the paintings straight... more string and the pegs. "How wonderful Jade, good planning" the universe says.
