Working with just the tiny point of a pencil allows Gillian Buckley to capture the exquisite and intimate details of her models, and ensures that time spent on a single work can linger around 100 hours. In spite of the time-consuming process, Buckley describes drawing as an addiction, explaining that she feels compelled to draw people.
Buckley acknowledges the extensive undertaking that is creating each of her intricate works. “It’s a fair amount of hours to spend on one piece, but I do love the process of it, so I’m happy to spend the time”.
Working from a reference photo that she checks every 30 seconds, Buckley keeps to precise measurements. “Being off by as little as a millimetre can make the whole drawing look wrong”.
Buckley is largely self-taught, and has been working on her detailed pencil works since 2010. “I started drawing in my late 30s after taking a weekly art class near my home. I had not been creative since high school, but knew I would come back to it one day and the drawing class provided the impetus to get started.”
Many of the models that Buckley works with are local to her Mangonui base, and getting out a search for models on Facebook usually generates a good response. “I can’t put into words what I am looking for, but do know it when I see it.”
After exhibiting works across New Zealand since 2012, Buckley has recently begun to explore directions in her work. Adding bold splashes of colour is the result of her desire to reach beyond her comfort zone. “It is my way of slowly and cautiously experimenting and growing into a new stage in my work, and the colour completely changes the feel of the drawing”.
The incorporation of apparently unexacting brush strokes across complex pencil work may appear straightforward, but it is a courageous addition. “If I don’t get it quite right, I have to scrap a piece that likely took me a week or more to draw,” Buckley explains.
Despite the nerve wracking experience, Buckley aims to continue exploring this inclusion of colour. “Challenging yourself is very important, as there is always room for improvement and growth as an artist”. Buckley aims to continue experimenting with new ways of working and is guided by what feels right for her work.
Faced with the same challenge as many other portrait artists, Buckley notices that people can sometimes be hesitant to have a work in their home that features someone they don’t know, but believes that this shouldn’t be a barrier to purchasing portraits. Buckley explains that when considering a work, people should let go of the need to know who the model is and, instead, feel the energy and intention of the work and what it means to them. “The face is just a means to convey emotion, so let yourself feel and connect with the work on a deeper level.”
You can see more of Buckley’s work on her website, gillianbuckleyartist.com. Her original work is exhibited at The Artist’s Room Fine Art Gallery in Dunedin and at Quirky Fox Gallery in Hawera, and prints are available at Soul Gallery in Hamilton.
Buckley acknowledges the extensive undertaking that is creating each of her intricate works. “It’s a fair amount of hours to spend on one piece, but I do love the process of it, so I’m happy to spend the time”.
Working from a reference photo that she checks every 30 seconds, Buckley keeps to precise measurements. “Being off by as little as a millimetre can make the whole drawing look wrong”.
Buckley is largely self-taught, and has been working on her detailed pencil works since 2010. “I started drawing in my late 30s after taking a weekly art class near my home. I had not been creative since high school, but knew I would come back to it one day and the drawing class provided the impetus to get started.”
Many of the models that Buckley works with are local to her Mangonui base, and getting out a search for models on Facebook usually generates a good response. “I can’t put into words what I am looking for, but do know it when I see it.”
After exhibiting works across New Zealand since 2012, Buckley has recently begun to explore directions in her work. Adding bold splashes of colour is the result of her desire to reach beyond her comfort zone. “It is my way of slowly and cautiously experimenting and growing into a new stage in my work, and the colour completely changes the feel of the drawing”.
The incorporation of apparently unexacting brush strokes across complex pencil work may appear straightforward, but it is a courageous addition. “If I don’t get it quite right, I have to scrap a piece that likely took me a week or more to draw,” Buckley explains.
Despite the nerve wracking experience, Buckley aims to continue exploring this inclusion of colour. “Challenging yourself is very important, as there is always room for improvement and growth as an artist”. Buckley aims to continue experimenting with new ways of working and is guided by what feels right for her work.
Faced with the same challenge as many other portrait artists, Buckley notices that people can sometimes be hesitant to have a work in their home that features someone they don’t know, but believes that this shouldn’t be a barrier to purchasing portraits. Buckley explains that when considering a work, people should let go of the need to know who the model is and, instead, feel the energy and intention of the work and what it means to them. “The face is just a means to convey emotion, so let yourself feel and connect with the work on a deeper level.”
You can see more of Buckley’s work on her website, gillianbuckleyartist.com. Her original work is exhibited at The Artist’s Room Fine Art Gallery in Dunedin and at Quirky Fox Gallery in Hawera, and prints are available at Soul Gallery in Hamilton.
Written by George Arthur-Amohau
All images courtesy of Gillian Buckley
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy...
 Oamaru artist's photographs invoke a sense of wanderlust |  How to make the most of Instagram: A guide for creatives |
