Sarjeant Happenings: The poetry of brushwork – Andrew McLeod

Andrew McLeod in his studio at Tylee Cottage. Photo / Supplied

In the studio at Tylee Cottage, Andrew McLeod is at work on two large canvases.

The Auckland-based artist is in residence in May and June following his inaugural artist-in-residency at The Gullies in Marton.

McLeod, in his 40s, is well known as an accomplished and prolific painter whose works often reference mythology and the classical masters in an eclectic range, encompassing both representation and abstraction.

"People are always inspired by previous people and there is always a conversation, the way one artist looks at another down the generations. You absorb the good people because you are a fan and a connoisseur," McLeod said.

The present works are figurative, one of which, an unusually large 3m x 2m, is about family - a commission from his Auckland dealer Ivan Anthony.

"The painting about family is a new exploration, an open investigation exploring the idea of love and different types of love, both personal and general."

From a family of gardeners, McLeod uses plants - vegetables, flowers, trees - in his paintings.

"It's a big part of our culture and plants are really useful as composition tools. You can put a flower on a stem anywhere in a composition and it still has a logic. It's a vocabulary of place."

On a visit to Paloma Gardens, he took many photographs and has included a cactus in his present work.

"I like the style of the gardens – there are 1980s and 90s-style postmodern design echoes. That period in architecture and domestic design and interiors is inspiring to me at the moment. I'm grateful they have it open to the public."

The other canvas of two people depicts the same figure moving from one pose to the other in "a kind of dialogue of dance".

"The model is a dancer and choreographer. I also investigated the history of the use of the figure in painting and pose, gesture, body language and style. In a way that echoes what the plants are doing – the shapes, the pace, rhythms, motif, music. I think when people see a figure in a large painting they see a figure that's more life-sized and you perceive it almost bodily. One thing I like about large paintings is the relationship to [the viewer]."

For McLeod, creating as well as viewing a painting is a matter of connecting through the brushwork, either communicating his inner world or receiving the creation of the other "person on the wall".

"The fantastic thing about painting is the poetry of brushwork. I can look at a painting from 300 years ago by Rembrandt and see every touch and every movement. You can't see Mozart's fingers on the harpsichord but you can see that in painting. The movement and touch of the artist through the brush."

During his stay in Whanganui, he is enjoying the architecture of the historic cottage, even the palpably uneven floors; the historic buildings, especially the Sarjeant Gallery and other buildings in and around Queen's Park. Nostalgic trips to Castlecliff Beach remind him of childhood times at the beach and the beauty of light in the past few weeks will filter through to his artworks.

He also appreciates meeting artists from many disciplines.

"That makes the visual arts culture really strong here. There is a sense of equality across these varied art forms."

Greg Donson, Sarjeant curator and public programmes manager, said the Tylee Cottage residency and exhibition scheduling had been affected by the lockdowns of the past two years; however, "the stars aligned" and they were able to offer McLeod a short residency after The Gullies' residency.

"I have included Andrew's works in three different group shows since the early 2000s and his paintings are always extraordinary, their intense colour and meticulous detail and references to everyday life and art history are a feast for the eyes. It's great to have Andrew in Whanganui for a short time and we look forward to developing an exhibition of Andrew's work in our future programming."