Inspired By Fashion

March 25, 2007

Inspired By Fashion

It’s fashion meets art meets interiors when Auckland artist Paul Hooker’s latest collection of paintings goes on display in May.

Paul’s latest works have been inspired by his experiences behind the scenes of the fashion world where he is immersed as part of his work as a lecturer in figurative and fashion drawing and figurative painting.

Recognised as a specialist in the genre of realism/impressionism, he is probably best known for his portraiture, much of which adorns New Zealand’s boardroom walls.

As well as painting, Paul lectures at AUT, Whitecliff, and South Seas Design, which involves working with many of the current as well as future doyennes of fashion helping them fulfil their ideas in design.

And it is these experiences which have given him the inspiration to create his current series of paintings exploring the personalities, colour, fabrics and form of this sensual subject.

“I am inspired by elegance and grace and this is reflected in my work. People, objects and light inspire me to interpret them on canvas; I don’t paint directly from life but rather from a collection of recalled memories assembled to create my work,” Paul said.

He describes his style as having its roots in both the New York and the so-called South West (USA) school of contemporary realism. It uses formal realism blended with romantic impressionism to achieve beautiful light and intense colour but a pensive mood. Paul is not a political painter, seeing art as an end in itself. His work reflects the brightness of life rather than its darker side.

To see the world of fashion through Paul Hooker’s eyes, visit The Three Realists exhibition (where you can also see the work of Grant Reed and Graham Downs) at The Satellite Gallery, St Benedict’s Street, Auckland, May 8th through to the 21st.

ENDS

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