Artist features in book of favourites

Painting for only three years has not been a success barrier for Carterton artist Anna-Marie Kingsley, who had the shock of her creative career when asked to feature in a book.
A buyer discovered her work during her third exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington, who passed on her name to editor Denis Robinson and "insisted she had to be in this book", Kingsley said.
"Later that afternoon Denis Robinson called me, explained about the book he was editing called New Zealand's Favourite Artists 2, and said Paul had called him and insisted I needed to be in his book. He asked me to send him up a couple of little photos, which I did and later that afternoon he emailed me back saying he definitely wanted me in the book.
"It's all a bit startling really. I've gone from being constantly rejected from art exhibitions to being featured in this book in a very short space of time."
Last year, Kingsley ventured into a style she calls Bloke Art, which depicts scenes of Tui Bottles, old chains or a view of a grimy shed in an effort to give men something that means something to them to hang on their walls.
The beer bottle picture is one that features in the book.
Meanwhile, Kingsley said she is "slightly" disappointed she is the only Wairarapa artist included in the book because she witnesses plenty of creative talent through art classes that she takes and being a trustee of Carterton art group Wai Art.
"The only slight disappointment is that there isn't more Wairarapa artists in the book. We have heaps of hugely-talented people here. We are hoping that the increasing momentum of Wai Art can help promote our artists and get a lot more recognition from dealers and buyers."