Lose yourself in these artworks showcasing some of the country’s most picturesque scenic spots

What: Matt Payne’s solo exhibition
Where: Parnell Gallery, 263 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland
When: 30th May – 13th June 2023

Need a visual escape from city life? Head to Parnell Gallery this winter and wile away an afternoon gazing at a series of soothing landscapes from contemporary local artist Matt Payne. The landscape painter specialises in capturing the New Zealand coastline with breathtaking realism.

“The aim for me is to capture the essence of what it is I’m painting. It can be an emotion, a feeling, or a mood. I am fascinated by how an image is just tiny bits of colour joined or linked together like some sort of code. I love to explore the relationships between colour, light, and form and how these elements are seen by the eye when they are put together.”

Payne directs our attention to the delicate features of our vast and varied coastlines, emphasising the elements to bring those details to the forefront of our minds. His glistening seas and pristine sands are rendered with astonishing accuracy. Not merely imitating nature, Payne’s painterly fragments coalesce to form representations of particular moments in time, evoking the mystery of the natural world. Working in acrylic on canvas, the large scale of Payne’s paintings provides a deep sense that we might simply walk right into his chosen scene, with the water lapping at our feet.

If you’d like to catch a preview of the solo exhibition alongside Matt and the gallery team on Tuesday 30th May, email art@parnellgallery.co.nz.

To be notified when all exhibition artworks are available for preview and purchase you can be signed up for artist updates by emailing the same address. Otherwise, pop in during the exhibition’s two-week run when you have enough time to really soak up the sights – they’re worth it.