Island Chant Ake Ake

New Zealand cultural elements swirl with musical instruments and the notes of their national anthem give power to this strong abstraction. The legacy of music and creative arts is rendered in this Plastic Space abstraction highlighting the importance of music to the relationship of other cultural arts like sculpture, textiles, and heritage swirling together into a moving breathing entity. I first did a lot of research on ancient New Zealand musical instruments, masks and other cultural elements to gather images that work within my musical paintings. By sketching out the idea with graphite on paper, I work the design until it has balance and interest. Sometimes this process can take weeks or months until I feel ready to paint. Then I transfer it to canvas where I begin to add color with oils. This is the challenging part and often it takes a life of it's own and can go beyond the original sketch. This process takes time and concentration to complete and can last weeks, months, or in some cases, years. The final product can be a rewarding surprise.