Wild art comes out of Raumati shed and into the world

Wild art comes out of Raumati shed and into the world

For those who haven’t had enough of local art from the recent Kapiti Arts Trail, check out the Wild Art Exhibition at Paraparaumu Beach this weekend.

For the past 15 years, self-taught Raumati artist Tania Dally has been throwing paint around in her shed to create large, abstract canvases inspired by the wild landscapes around us.

After receiving consistently positive feedback for her creations, she has finally decided to take the paintings out of the shed and into the world.

While she describes her paintings as landscapes, they are represented in a conceptual rather than a literal manner.

"I see my work more in terms of pure colour and form rather than as conventional pictures," says Tania. "In other words, I'm not trying to reproduce the landscapes as they are, but create an interpretation that goes beyond representation directly to raw emotion. Rather than what it looks like, it's more about what it feels like."

The materials she uses consist of recycled acrylic paints, dyes, and various other viscous media. "I have used ash, charcoal and bark in certain pieces,” she says. "Dredging up and revaluing these materials is a significant and meaningful part of my process. These are often mixed with various environmental matter incorporated during the layering or drying stages of the process.”

The use of materials from the environment links the work to organic processes, meaning it can be appreciated in ways that naturally occurring phenomena might be appreciated.

Chance also plays a considerable part in the composition of the work. Availability and type of materials determine what and how pieces get made. The viscous properties of the various media along with the effects of gravity and the varied drying times that accompany particular environmental and seasonal conditions are all active agents in the painting.

"In some senses my own agency as an artist takes a backseat to this studio alchemy. The processes run themselves and I become more of a facilitator of raw imagery,” says Tania.

The more conventional artistic processes of decision and composition happen in the selection and cropping of passages of painting after the canvases have dried.

"When I look at them, it’s virtually impossible to do so without evoking the emotion that was present when I was creating them. When painting I am in my happy place. To paint in this way is pure bliss."

Everyone is welcome to pop in and meet Tania at the weekend.

The exhibition is being held at The Pier, 1 Seaview Road, Paraparaumu Beach on Saturday 14 November from 9am to 3pm and on Sunday 15 November from 10am to 3pm.

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