Christine Maynard was born in the deep south, Tuatapere, gateway to Fiordland and spent most holidays in Arrowtown. She grew up among some stunning scenery, but it wasn’t until she came back from travelling the world as a young adult that she appreciated just how special it was. Now living in Christchurch, Christine is a self-taught artist who paints semi-abstract landscapes—particularly Central Otago, Mackenzie Country and Canterbury. She has always been creative, having owned a wedding decorating business and having a strong interest in photography and interior design.
With her own family, she travels the South Island and takes photos and these inspire her to paint the landscape in a semi-abstract way. She never paints from a photo, but photos give her a feeling and understanding of each area. Christine has a love of patinas on buildings, ancient floor and wall tiles, ancient fabrics and costumes and aged metals. These influences contribute to the earthy and textural look of the paintings.
My paintings reveal aspects and details of the landscape that our eye would normally not see. The landscapes are unveiled layer by layer to reveal what exists beneath the surface and are often in a deconstructed form. I usually just start layering paint and creating a texture for the first few days and go on an adventure to see what evolves. I never choose a colour palette – it just happens. I scape back layers of paint, “dig and excavate” to reveal the essence of a landscape. What is below shapes and influences the above layers of colour and texture. Our evolving land forms are shaped by time, man and erosion, revealing many different transient surfaces. There is the idea that the rocks and strata you see are just a fragment of geological time. The constant movement of sediment and forces of erosion keep the landscape in a transient state. My paintings show a moment in time of this process.
