Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inch / 76 x 101 cm

I went to Las Vegas to present this painting to the subject, Becky Brown, during the Women In The Wind Winter International meeting, February 13-16th 2020 in Las Vegas.

Oil painting on canvas – 29.5 x 39.3 in / 75 x 100 cm

Commission

Pastel painting – 18.5 x 26.4in / 47 x 67cm

I always use song titles for my paintings and this one is no exception. This painting is the companion of my other painting ‘Sweet Thing’. Both girls had a piece of chewing gum which absolutely fascinated me. Where did that come from?

Colin Robinson – pastel on board – 31 x 44 cm / 12 x 17 in.

Celebrating his 80th birthday. He has over 60 years of voluntary work under his belt in the Wairarapa community as a firefighter and an ambulance officer, to mention just a few. A wonderful, fun and loyal friend to many. Hard worker. Great craftsman. Good company. I hope to get to paint his 100th birthday portrait!

Freedom Rider – September 2017 – Oil on Canvas – 30 x 40 in (76 x 102 cm)

This painting is an ode to freedom which many of us take for granted. I was inspired to paint this picture by the Buffalo Chip Freedom Ride 2017. I was a sponsor for the event and donated limited editions of three of my paintings to their charity auction benefiting wounded veterans and their families, the Special Olympics and the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Acrylic on Canvas – 23.5 x 47 inch.

This piece was created specifically for Sturgis Bike Week 2017’s Buffalo Chip 36th Anniversary ‘Legends Ride’.

Thundering through the hills, side by side, wind sweeping through our hair and mane, breathing hard, snorting, bellowing steamy breath, heaving bodies, muscles, steel, chrome and rubber.

‘Kickstart My Heart’ – Oil – 30 x 40 inch

The day starts with the smell of dew on grass glistening in the early morning sun mixed with the smell of damp leather, oil, earth and metal warming up. The mist is slowly dissipating and the birds are joyously exclaiming their fondness for this new day.

‘Maybe’ – Oil – 30 x 40 inch

I always use song titles for my paintings. ‘Maybe’ is the theme song for the 70s series ‘Life and Times of Grizzly Adams’. Now, with this song playing in your head, look at the painting again.

‘Smokin’ – Acrylic – 19.5 x 23.5 inch

I think this painting speaks for itself. I love the colours, the contrast, the attitude, the solidarity, the togetherness. It is such a great statement of whatever statement you want it to be. It rocks!

‘Gail’ – pastel on board, 22 x 30 cm / 9 x 12 in.

On film set in Queenstown late 80’s.

‘Feelin’ Alright’ – Oil – 14 x 20 inch

My paintings tell a story and I am always looking for the ones that say more than a thousand words. Just like this one and if I had to explain you wouldn’t understand.

‘Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon’ – Pastel – 18 x 24 inch

‘Arrived’ – Oil – 29.5 x 35 inch

The end of the day is nearing the twilight hour. He arrives in a cloud of dust at the campsite and hears people laughing in the distance, the popping of a beer can being opened, murmured voices followed by raucous laughter and cheering, the crackle and waves of heat from a bonfire, the rumble and revving of several big twin engines, the smell of roasting meat, exhaust fumes, beer, perfume, burning wood, grass and damp soil mingled with snippets of rock music. “Home”, he thinks and sighs with contentment.

‘Raised On Rock’ – Acrylic – 23.5 x 31 inch

During rallies and shows you come across very interesting proclamations of a variety of ideas. Great ones and not so great ones and ones that require acid to burn the image off your retinas. This is one of the great ones and I wholeheartedly share the rock sentiment.

‘Fairies Wear Boots’ – 30 x 30 inch

‘Hold On Loosely’ – Oil – 30 x 30 inch

I wanted to paint this couple riding down the road for quite some time but could not find the right background. I secretly have a nickname for the painting (her), feel free to guess. I started painting it on a smaller canvas but that didn’t feel right, so that canvas became another painting.

‘Sharp Dressed Man’ – Acrylic – 16 x 24 inch

‘Roll Me Away’ – Acrylic – 23.5 x 35.5 inch

This painting is about our farewell to the most amazing, clever, enigmatic rebel ever. Gary built this coffin sidecar so it could be towed as well. The idea was that he could take it anywhere and just crash in it if he had had a couple too many beers without having to worry about accommodation or drink driving. Awesome.

‘Wild Thing’ – Oil – 30 x 40 inch

“Oh no!” I exclaim. “There is a dead baby zebra lying on the road. Really, I did not need to experience that!” I indignantly huff. We are getting closer and when we are only meters away from the body, it stirs!

Lake Of Dreams – Oil – 30 x 40 inch

The lake moves with the surfacing and diving bodies of a vast amount of pink rimmed giants and their calves. Bubbles indicate where hippos are under the surface snacking on the lake “cabbage”.

Free Bird – Oil – 30 x 40 inch

On one of my frequent travels through the Black Hills of South Dakota I came across this woman and her partner riding their Harley Davidsons. Usually I am there on a Harley myself but this time I was just briefly visiting friends and driving a rental car. Their route was the same as mine and I followed them from Lead to Deadwood to Sturgis where our paths diverged.

Across the Magic Mountain – Pastel – 16 x 22 inch

An hour north of where I live is a truly magical place called Mt Bruce.

A large chunk of unspoilt mountain area was bought by the people of the valley to preserve the flora and fauna unique to New Zealand. The area is contained by a high fence and kept predator-free…

Sunshine Of Your Love – Pastel – 18.5 x 24 inch

Under the shade of some trees, the women of the village are working hard. They are pounding corn, sweeping dirt, skinning chickens, carrying firewood, tending small cooking fires and looking after babies. The older children swarm around me like I am Peter Pan. I take note of all the colours, especially the colours of the fabric the women are wearing. The designs, colours and detailing tell what tribe she was born into.

‘Empire Of The Clouds’ – Acrylic – 15.5 x 31.5 inch

My version of Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland. Looking out over the Loch towards the castle, feeling the space and the freedom it exudes, the wildness of the rugged hills and the castle standing proud surviving the test of time.

Here the decision was born to leave behind the small-mindedness of a suffocatingly tax-heavy Europe and to emigrate to a still free and wild New Zealand.

Pride – Pastel – 29 x 30.5 inch

It is pitch black and the blackness is full of rich sounds and smells. You hired a spotter and the village chief to be your guide and drive your vehicle. In the knee-high grass you can make out a form and it appears to be a dead lioness. Then her whiskers twitch. You can smell large cats and know that she is not alone.

Highway Star – Acrylic – 12 x 16 inch

We are high in the Rocky Mountains. After a long, hot and dusty day of solid, hard riding from Dallas, Texas, we found the perfect biker motel. All the bikes are lined up and safe in front of the units, the location is quiet and remote with stunning mountain vistas. The thin mountain air is fresh and clean. Tumbleweeds are rolling across the rocky outcrop surrounding the motel. Rock music is drifting from several of our units, mingling its riffs and vocals with ours.

Journeyman – Oil – 31.5 x 47 inch

Put in a blender: my love for motorcycle riding and my favorite movie in a Pop Art style. I loooove this painting.

‘Black Magic Woman’ – pastel on paper – 56 x 42.5cm / 22 x 16.5in.

I love painting nudes as they are a great exercise for an artist. The human body is a continuous flow of movement both inside and outside. The mental space the model is in plays a huge part in the feeling of the pose, therefore a great joy and challenge to paint as the mood can shift in a split second.