Barbara von Seida
The Kowhai Watercolour Studio is Coromandel's oldest permanent Gallery, having been established in late 1990.
It features the work of Barbara von Seida who is fascinated by New Zealand's landforms with its volcanic origins, not with a thought of describing a particular place, but with expressing elemental moods and emotions.
Her approach to painting is to overstate the existing colours and light for the sheer enjoyment of expressing her feelings for the chosen subject.
Foremost, she considers herself a colourist placing an emphasis on originality, vitality and innovation, resulting in personal images that express mood and atmosphere.
In the 1960's, she spent 5 years training in formal art design specialising as a commercial artist in the German fashion print industry and since then has been a full time artist in the water media.
Her work has won her numerous awards --- in 2007 she was awarded the Royal Agricultural Society gold medallion as the most successful artist at the Auckland Royal Easter Show, in October 2008, won the Premier Art Award at the North Shore City Art Awards, and in October 2009 won the Premier Award at the prestigious national Walker and Hall Waiheke Art Awards.
In February 2010, Barbara held her first solo show in 17 years at the Artspost Gallery in Hamilton where a body of work of 31 acrylic landscape paintings spanning 4 years received critical acclaim.
In 1993, longtime Coromandel artist, Patrick Greene, was invited to join the Gallery which proudly displays his lively and sometime whimsical portrails of Coromandel scenes. Like Barbara, Patrick has received many accolades for his artwork at art competitions.
www.barbara-von-seida.co.nz
