Kiwi artist in the frame for NZer of Year awards

Hawke's Bay's very own Dick Frizzell has been shortlisted for the 2016 New Zealander of the Year Award.

As a celebrated Kiwi painter, he is one of 10 Kiwis who were chosen from more than 300 nominations for the honour.

New Zealander of the Year Awards office manager Glyn Taylor said Mr Frizzell was nominated by an independent person for his contribution to art.

He said a person of the year nominee was somebody who had made a significant contribution to New Zealand and New Zealanders in their respective field.

"It is great to see somebody from the arts come into the frame," he said. "Art makes a pretty valuable contribution to the way we live our lives so I think it is pretty cool that an artist is in the mix. And somebody particularly who makes a social contribution to our well being and how we think as New Zealanders."

Mr Taylor said not only had Mr Frizzell contributed to New Zealand in this manner, he was also generous.

"I believe he will often donate his art for charitable purposes," he said.

Chief judge Cameron Bennett said each nominee had achieved great things in New Zealand and, indeed, on the world stage.

"They've shown the courage, determination and tenacity - the sheer grit - that defines what it is to be a New Zealander and have achieved extraordinary things in a uniquely Kiwi way," he said.

"All are unique and special New Zealanders of whom we can be very proud."

Mr Frizzell studied Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury before he began his career in advertising.

It wasn't until 1995 that he became a fulltime painter.

"He has exhibited extensively since, with career highlights that include, the major travelling retrospective Dick Frizzell: Portrait of a Serious Artiste at the City Gallery in Wellington, 1997," the organisation reports.

"His residency in Antarctica as part of the Invitational Artist Programme and the publication of the monograph Dick Frizzell: The Painter [published by] Random House NZ in 2009."

Mr Frizzell had also produced an extensive range of works on paper, including lithographs and screenprints.

"In 2011 he wrote It's All About the Image, a rough guide to New Zealand art history," it said.

"His work has always been characterised by a highly skilled handling of paint and an endlessly inventive range of subject matter and styles - faux-naive New Zealand landscapes, figurative still-life, comic book characters and witty parodies of modernist abstraction.

"He was also commissioned to create official artwork for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

"His work is now held in collections throughout the country, most notably Christchurch Art Gallery, the Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery and Te Papa," said NZYAO.

The shortlist will be whittled down to three which Mr Taylor said would be announced around January 20, with Kiwibank's New Zealander of the Year 2016 being announced at a gala dinner to be held in Auckland on February 17.

Shortlist for New Zealander of the Year 2016:

* Dame Margaret Bazley: Public policy and administration (Christchurch)

* Professor Michael Berridge: Cellular biology and cancer researcher (Wellington)

* Mai Chen: Lawyer (Auckland)

* Rob Fenwick: Environmentalist and business leader (Waiheke Island)

* Dick Frizzell: Artist, art historian and social commentator (Hawke's Bay)

* Richie McCaw: Former All Blacks rugby captain (Christchurch)

* Dame Suzie Moncrieff: Artist and business leader (Golden Bay)

* Louise Nicholas: Victims' rights advocate (Rotorua)

* Dr Jim Salinger: Climate scientist (Auckland)

* Dr Ranginui Walker: Academic, writer, educator and cultural commentator (Auckland)