ella thomas

This is a record of my art making, the experiences that I have in everyday life that inspire me and a document of the paintings that I produce. Sometimes I will mention different facts or stories that bear some relevance to manu / birds and New Zealand native flora. One of the key ideas within my work is the celebration of the uniqueness of the native species within Aotearoa / New Zealand.

Friday, January 18, 2008

kowhai piwakawaka


2008
Triptych
3 canvases 225mm x 305mm x 35mm
Archival quality acrylics and gesso on canvas



Within this painting I further experimented with my painting style, particularly within the rendering of the birds. I sometimes get a little carried away with adding lots of super-fine details so I aim to start leaving some areas less worked up so as to enhance those that are more refined. It gives a freshness and energy to the subject matter. The positive shapes of kowhai leaves and flowers and the negative spaces around them are absolutely gorgeous.
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About Me

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Auckland, New Zealand
Ella Thomas is a contemporary artist who lives in Auckland, Aotearoa. She is of Ngapuhi descent and has a passion for the beauty of the whenua (land), the sea and for the unique flora and fauna of New Zealand. The concepts that are explored within Ella's work are based upon notions of conservation, ecological balance and extinction. Her paintings often feature nostalgic patterns reminiscent of the mid to late 1800's, the era when European colonization occurred. It was during this time that many unique species of birds became extinct. The rarer a bird became, the more prized a specimen of it became. Alive or dead. Much of Ella's paintings are celebrations of the unique character of our surviving taonga (treasures). Ella has a Bachelor of Visual Arts and has been working within arts related industries for many years. She has paintings in collections nationwide, Australia, England and the USA. Finally the plunge has been taken and Ella has committed herself to fulfilling a dream, that of becoming a full-time artist.