TIM WILSON
Tim Wilson
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“Muriwai"
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"The miracle of the universe intrigued me and still does. It is what drives me outside into the landscape and on starry nights to wonder; it is what drives me to paint."
During his lifetime, Tim Wison was New Zealand’s most successful living landscape painter, Tim's lifelong passion for landscape has fuelled his unique innovations in the field of oil painting. Evident in his work since 2000, the result is an extraordinary painting technique unique to Tim that enables his paintings to change as light does. Tim passed away in 2020.
Tell us about yourself and your background.
It was always OK for me to be creative. My parents understood that I saw things differently, experienced the world in my own way. I was the kid who refused to go inside when the family went visiting. I had things outside I needed to look at. My childhood memories are all like this: intense, intimate, full of detail. And always about how the light shone and danced, and my questioning WHY it made me feel the way it did. The miracle of the universe intrigued me and still does. It is what drives me outside into the landscape and on starry nights to wonder; it is what drives me to paint. I knew at 16 that I wanted to be a painter so that I could enable the same response emotionally from people that I got from the scenery. I wanted to be able to reproduce it –and I’ve been chasing it ever since. The defining moment was during a trip to the South Island, coming over the isthmus between Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea at sunset and seeing Hawea – the reflections of the light were mesmerising, such an extraordinarily breathtaking scene.
USA Series - Sierra Nevada -2015-2016
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USA Series - Gallatin Canyon Yellowstone
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Tell us about your work.
I have developed a unique painting technique over a 50 year career. Due to the meticulous, time consuming and innovative process I have developed, my work changes as light does. As natural or artificial light changes, various features seem to appear and disappear before our eyes. We are looking through multiple layers of transparent, semi transparent, translucent and interference oil colour, put together in a unique way, by hand, with a brush. The paintings themselves are attributed to my "extraordinary" memory, imagination and intuitive connection to the landscape. I use no photographic reference, prior sketches or studies. I use some of the finest handmade oil paints in the world produced by Michael Harding. I am self-taught, my paintings and techniques are unique.
'Okarito Lagoon'
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'Still waters - Westland'
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Tim’s work changes as light does. As natural or artificial light changes, various features seem to appear and disappear before our eyes.
Some of your career highlights?
- Developing my technique.
- Helping to inspire a generation of younger painters towards the landscape genre.
- Holding the record price for a living NZ landscape painter.
- Selling a large work to the leading Royal family of UAE. “Summer Rains - Doubtful Sound Impression” in 2016.
- Breaking into the US market in 2012 through invitation by Bobby Kennedy Jnr to submit a work to the art auction benefiting the “Water Keepers Alliance” hosted by Sotheby’s New York. Curated by Jeff Koons, my work “On The Hudson " hung alongside works by Chuck Close, Jasper John's, William de Kooning and Jeff Koons. A private collector owning one of the largest collections of “The Hudson River School” of painters won the highest bid and invited me to paint on their properties in the Hamptons and purchased those subsequent works. This collector regards me as "this century's Bierstadt " (Albert Bierstadt 1830 – 1902 one of the founding members of The Hudson River School).
'Haast Impression'
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'Untitled'
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What inspires your paintings?
I go out into the landscape - every day I look. I am an observer. I learn by doing, something my father always told me - learn by doing - and the techniques have developed over the years. I had the greatest teachers in the world, the old masters and some of the modern masters. Spending time in galleries simply standing in front of their works and figuring out how they did it. My techniques have developed over the years by making mistakes and learning.
What are you passionate about?
- I’m a slave to beauty and celebrate it at every opportunity through my works.
- I’m passionate about the landscape and the conservation thereof.
- Encouraging youngsters in their creative process.
What drives you to paint?
There is only one backstory to all my creative endeavours - I’m obsessed and obsessive…I paint, therefore I am.
What inspires your paintings?
I go out into the landscape - every day I look. I am an observer. I learn by doing, something my father always told me - learn by doing - and the techniques have developed over the years. I had the greatest teachers in the world, the old masters and some of the modern masters. Spending time in galleries simply standing in front of their works and figuring out how they did it. My techniques have developed over the years by making mistakes and learning.
What are you passionate about?
- I’m a slave to beauty and celebrate it at every opportunity through my works.
- I’m passionate about the landscape and the conservation thereof.
- Encouraging youngsters in their creative process.
What drives you to paint?
There is only one backstory to all my creative endeavours - I’m obsessed and obsessive…I paint, therefore I am.
“Fiordland Impression”
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'Dragon Mists'
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"I believe my role is to portray my environment in a perfect sense - pristine, life giving, healing, spiritually uplifting and pure, free of the disruptions of man."
What ideas are you exploring currently?
I’ve a new series of works in mind focusing on Dusky Sound “Tamatea” (Fiordland New Zealand) drawing attention to its extraordinary beauty and the importance of the continued conservation of its unique flora and fauna. I aim to produce works reflecting the sheer beauty of this place and produce a series of limited edition reproductions to provide funding for the ongoing conservation efforts in the sound “Tamatea”. My next major show will be in China.
Tell us about where you are based?
I’m based in Queenstown, New Zealand… Scenically one of the, if not the most, remarkable places on earth, and hence its influence on my work.
“Spirit of Fiordland”
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Tim Wilson
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How do you feel about art and its role?
Art, like its creators, is evolving all the time…. in times past, paintings were made to celebrate religion…
today, there is such diversity in all fields of art – some, in my opinion, positive, some negative…I believe my role is to portray my environment in a “perfect “sense - pristine, life giving, healing, spiritually uplifting and pure, free of the disruptions of man. I prefer the traditional techniques. A lot of traditional processes and techniques are being lost. I intend to keep them going. Is it in the future we will rely on computers to create art? A lot of galleries consider art as currency. Much like bankers before the GFC, they produced derivatives that held no value whatsoever, and I would suggest to you that a lot of ‘art’ is derivative ‘crap’ being sold as art.
How you want your art to affect the viewer?
I want my work to touch my viewer in a way that reminds them of what we have and the fact that we must treasure and maintain it.
www.timwilsongallery.com
How do you feel about art and its role?
Art, like its creators, is evolving all the time…. in times past, paintings were made to celebrate religion…
today, there is such diversity in all fields of art – some, in my opinion, positive, some negative…I believe my role is to portray my environment in a “perfect “sense - pristine, life giving, healing, spiritually uplifting and pure, free of the disruptions of man. I prefer the traditional techniques. A lot of traditional processes and techniques are being lost. I intend to keep them going. Is it in the future we will rely on computers to create art? A lot of galleries consider art as currency. Much like bankers before the GFC, they produced derivatives that held no value whatsoever, and I would suggest to you that a lot of ‘art’ is derivative ‘crap’ being sold as art.
How you want your art to affect the viewer?
I want my work to touch my viewer in a way that reminds them of what we have and the fact that we must treasure and maintain it.
www.timwilsongallery.com
USA Series - Hudson River - Diptych