Hot NZ artist to unveil new retro series

Media release – June 18, 2009

Hot NZ artist to unveil new retro series at Wellington’s famous Affordable Art Show

Leading NZ nude artist Melissa Sharplin will bare her latest retro series at Wellington’s famous Affordable Art Show starting in Wellington on July 31.

Sharplin showed off her retro nude series last year that was inspired by discovering a secret stash of 1970s Playboy, Penthouse, Mayfair and Viva magazines. Her saucy oils received huge attention and they all sold like hot cakes.

She has subsequently created another sensual series which will be stripped bare at the Wellington art event from the end of next month. She will have a whole single wall space displaying her ‘naughty’ works.

Sharplin broke the mould at school when she came top in New Zealand in her high school art submission. Her risque painting, named The Affair, was easily the best in the country.

``I came first in New Zealand for my year’s submission. I received 98 percent for my painting – though I’m not sure why. That was the first thing I ever painted,’’ Sharplin, 29, said from her Diamond Harbour studio today.

``I later won an award in Bristol, UK, for the most popular painting, a triptych which made up a portrait that looked like the girl from the old out-of-focus Cadbury flake advertisement. I received 180 pounds for that, through the Beavin solicitors group exhibition, for the European city of culture bid 2008.’’

Sharplin has been painting full time for six years and has had international exhibitions, and overseas commissions.

The Coast to Coast race organiser Robin Judkins commissioned her self portrait, and bought another work. Tiki Taane (musician) bought a print for his sister, and owns a drawing and a painting. Shapeshifter musician Sam Trevethick commissioned Sharplin to paint his keyboard while media have bought her work. The Heritage in Christchurch commissioned a mural in their spa and pool area in 2000.

``For the Affordable Art show I have a series which is quite risqué from 1970s girlie magazine images. They are painted on recycled wood panels with rounded corners to give an authentic retro look: right up Wellington’s alley.

``These paintings show lovely ladies posing in their most sensual, seductive manner, turning up the heat in a delightfully flirtatious way. Favoured by a limited public, who appreciate beauty with a cheeky twist using incredibly alluring 1970's Playboy models in works ranging up to $5000.

``I'm not forcing people to look at or buy my work, but I believe they empower women with their sensuality; creating an immortal sexy woman is somehow quite enjoyable for me. I've always appreciated fashion and been inspired by fashion advertising; having a designer for a mother and a background in fashion myself. So finding these 1970s Playboys has touched my love of style and fashion, and taken it to the next level.

``I'm not saying everyone will agree or like the look of this next show, but I wanted to create something a little bit more revealing. Everyone told me not too, that it won’t appeal to the general public, but that's my artistic licence, to paint whatever I like, and at this moment in time it's bubbly, sultry, cheeky, sexy, risque, beautiful, free, self assured, smoking hot confident women with not a lot of clothing on,’’ Sharplin said.

Earlier this year, Sharplin sold one of her larger works for nearly $12,000to help raise funds to send Linwood College students on a study trip to China.

The sixth annual affordable art show will feature 800 artists and thousands of paintings at Wellington’s TSN Bank Arena, between July 31 to August 2.

Ends

See: http://melissasharplin.com/blog/v/Work+in+progress (for a sneak preview)

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