Architect-turned-artist, Narelle Huggins’, favourite comment about her work is “I just love how you see our town.” Not only representing a place, Huggins’ work aims to transcend the realistic and explore the sentimental value for those that live there.
Largely self-taught, Huggins, who had been working as an architect in Australia, moved to Waikato in 2015. Looking for a change from the precision and order of architectural drawing, she began working with a palette knife in order to experiment with a greater freedom and expression in her work.
Huggins focuses mainly on landscapes, but buildings still feature predominantly within her work. She sites her architectural background as inspiration for the structures, whose two-dimensional forms are reminiscent of elevation drawings.
The resolute exploration of colour and contrast in her work is striking, and Huggins cites the fauvists as inspiration for her bold colour combinations.
Largely self-taught, Huggins, who had been working as an architect in Australia, moved to Waikato in 2015. Looking for a change from the precision and order of architectural drawing, she began working with a palette knife in order to experiment with a greater freedom and expression in her work.
Huggins focuses mainly on landscapes, but buildings still feature predominantly within her work. She sites her architectural background as inspiration for the structures, whose two-dimensional forms are reminiscent of elevation drawings.
The resolute exploration of colour and contrast in her work is striking, and Huggins cites the fauvists as inspiration for her bold colour combinations.
My favourite kinds of days are rainy ones when the sky is a deep ‘Paynes grey’ and the sun appears in the afternoon to wash the land in a golden light.”
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