Heather Atkins' new exhibition is a combination of her ceramics and paintings. Photo/supplied
Heather Atkins' new exhibition is a combination of her ceramics and paintings. Photo/supplied
While Heather Anne Atkins was at home recovering from brain surgery, she had a dream she was painting in a field surrounded by flowers.
"From then on I started painting ... I painted the flowers that people had sent me in hospital."
The artist feels very fortunate to have completelyrecovered from that scary time more than 20 years ago when she underwent brain surgery to have a tumour removed.
"You realise you have just got to go for your goals. Don't put anything off."
The artist from Cambridge - now living in Tauranga - was already established as a talented ceramics artist but had never seriously picked up a paintbrush. Now she paints and still creates her ceramic houses which are very Kiwiana-inspired and popular with tourists.
She admits she is preoccupied with houses, especially houses which look uniquely Kiwi. One stand-out moment for Heather is when one of her ceramic pieces, a traditional New Zealand house, was presented by the Governor-General to the late Princess Diana during the 1983 royal tour. The royal "thank you" note remains a treasured memento.
Heather has ticked another thing off her bucket list when she went to France. That trip inspired paintings like the French Connection.
the fine print What: New Horizons, and exhibition by Heather Anne Atkins When: From tomorrow until November 23 Where: The Art Lounge, 32 Devonport Rd.
