Fine Arts gallery showcasing Kris Lott's first exhibition in two years

Kris Lott will have ten of her works (divided into 'series 1' and 'series 2') on display on Friday. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui painter Kris Lott's new exhibition, dis/connect, will be on display at the Fine Arts gallery from Friday.

Lott said the exhibition had two different acrylic sections, one of which, series 1, was made during the Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown last year.

"It was what was born from being locked in my house with the canvases I had," Lott said.

"I was studying post-grad (Museum Studies at Massey) fulltime as well, so there was a lot of pressure and a need to be creative every so often."

The works were based on maps, Lott said.

"I like that, because I couldn't go to those places at the time.

"There's one of a beach my family go up to, and there's even just intersections around town.

"What came from them was kind of moody, with blues, whites, and I was making my own blacks. I did a handful that were very similar."

Lott said, from a paint perspective, she was interested in layering and colours, and "building something up".

"It was about finding something from being stuck at home and 'this is my brain at the moment'. It's all just getting it out and purging.

"After finishing these (series 1) I didn't pick up a paintbrush again for seven or eight months."

Her last full solo exhibition was two years ago, when she was studying Visual Arts at UCOL.

Series 2, while remaining abstract, focussed more on structure and "pulling something tangible from the intangible", Lott said.

"I get really focussed on colours that I like.

"There are some blues in that series, but the dominant colours are reds and oranges, and rusts and terracottas. That's my other go-to."

Lott said she had recently become a member of the Fine Arts Whanganui Collective, and being part of the organisation had helped give her structure, as well as showing her just what goes into running a gallery space.

The idea of opening her own gallery in Whanganui had been something she'd thought about in the past, she said.

"I knew it would be hard work to start up a gallery, and after seeing how we run this place (Fine Arts), I was right.

"You've got your lease, your contracts, and your other members as well, and I couldn't just pay for all the problems to go away either.

"Another reason I wouldn't really want to open my own (gallery) is because we already have some great independent galleries here already, like Space, for example."

Now that her study scheduled had relaxed, Lott said she would be able to focus more on her art in 2021.

"I want to get into other things as well, like ceramics. I have a base in glass too, so there's that as well."

- dis/connect open at the Fine Arts Whanganui Gallery (17 Taupo Quay) on Friday.