Landscapes on display at new exhibition

Graeme Horgan's work includes beautiful landscapes. /Supplied

From Lake Como to Waihī Beach, artist Graeme Horgan captures the landscapes of some of the world’s most beautiful places.

From next week, his paintings of scenery and birds will be on display at the Carlton Gallery in the Our Wonderful World exhibition.

The works, which will be on display from Monday, April 24 until Sunday, May 21, use large brushes and oil paints straight from the tube to create vivid imagery featuring a range of locations and wildlife.

Horgan came to painting later in life, having spent 40 years as a draughtsman and land surveyor. On retirement, looking for a hobby, he took up art using pens and brushes.

Inspiration struck on a holiday to Lake Como in Italy, and he spent much of the trip taking photographs of the breathtaking surroundings in the hopes of reproducing the scenes on canvas at home.

However, he said that he “ran out of talent” and couldn’t do the landscapes justice by his own hand.

Horgan found a local artist whose work he admired and took up oil painting lessons with him.

This set him on the path of realising his retirement dream of being an artist in his own right; he learned to recreate birds, plants, mountains and lakes in a way that brought him joy and satisfaction.

Now, Horgan uses the Italian-named alla prima style of painting, which involves layering fresh paint on to an already wet, painted canvas. The works are then finished with a coat of varnish.

Our Wonderful World begins April 24 at the Carlton Gallery in the Arts Junction, 36 Main Road, Katikati. It is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 2pm on weekends and public holidays.

To learn more about Graeme Horgan, visit www.graemehorgan.com.