Colin Unkovich

The Far North of the North Island of New Zealand is quite different in visual character to a lot of the rest of the country. This painting looking west across TeWerahi towards Cape Maria van Diemen, contains some of the essential elements. In the distance twilight illuminates the dunes and long sandy beach allowing them to absorb and reflect the light of the surrounding sky while in the foreground the deep red earth shows through the stunted wind swept scrub land.

This area appeals to me because it is so different to the area around where I live. This painting is very much a case of celebrating that difference.

The Three Sisters is the name that was given to three sandstone pillars on the Taranaki Coast, however, a large storm and consequent swell in 2003 means that there are now only two remaining. I was moved to paint this spot as much for what isn’t there as for what is. The name gives us a reminder of the dynamic forces at work in shaping our coast.

In this painting I have focused on the most striking elements of a peaceful morning on the New Zealand Coast - The feeling of tranquility and the reflecting nature of the light that results at this time of the day.

The Far North is one of my favourite parts of the country and is where I have seen some of the best most flamboyant sunrises I have ever seen. That said, it is no less beautiful when seen under a brooding sky.

This painting is done as a Triptych but on a single canvas. It is done as a series of studies of different times of day for the same subject. It shows the Hen (Taranga Island) and Chicken Islands in three phases. Pre Dawn, Sunrise and Afternoon. I have done it to showcase not only the transient variations in colour but also how the angle of light can either reduce or enhance natural contours.

Dawn is my favourite time of the day. In this painting I have aimed to capture what it is that I like so much about it. The colours that occur at first light can at times be amazingly bright and vibrant or sometimes incredible subtle and pure and I find it really enjoyable to try and capture these nuances.

This painting is of Kiritehere in the Waikato and is typical of the coastal topography of the area; river mouths and rugged headlands. The black sand sea floor gives the water a colour all of its own.

This is a companion painting to Albatross Point from Marokopa, which is orientated North, while this one looks South down the Coast.

Although coastal New Zealand abounds with small bays such as the one in this painting, it is becoming increasingly common for them to be under threat of development. The remaining unspoilt ones are rare gems and need to be protected.

My primary focus in this painting was to try to capture the Northland light, bright reflective colours but at the same time washed out. Up North the strength of the sun seems to leach out some of the intensity of the terrestrial colours while accentuating those of the water.

I got this view after an early morning climb up Mt Manaia.

This is a painting I did to typify a completely still morning looking east across the entrance to Parua Bay in the Whangarei Harbour. With no wind the water is like a sheet of glass, leaving the reflections of the mist shrouded heads undisturbed and crisp.

Although this is a painting done in surrealist style, it contains icons of Northern New Zealand's coastline. In the foreground is a century plant, or agave, many examples of which can be found growing wild at coastal locations throughout the North of New Zealand. Filling the middle ground is the representation of the coastal sands and of course the ocean. Overlooking all this this are the hills, done in human form to represent the trend for populating the slopes surrounding many of our bays

Porpoise Bay at the South Eastern corner of the South Island is one of my favourite pieces of coast. It combines two of the elements that make our coast unique. It is simultaneously wild and rugged, yet also offers shelter and protection.

This painting is looking North from Waipu River mouth towards Bream Head and is one of the few remaining undeveloped beaches in this area. On any given day it can look quite stunning.