Photography: Alice Veysey
Sunshine radiates from Tracey Finch’s paintings. Her works are an ode to the classic Kiwi summer and its endless forms. From the blitzing heat in her Summer Nostalgia collection to the sunlight rippling through the treetops in The Falls, the warmth can be felt from the canvas to your toes.
Tracey moved back to Aotearoa in 2019, having lived in the UK since she was 16. While it became home, she yearned for those hot summer days. She says, “I lived a three-hour drive from the beaches we loved. It’s fair to say I obsessed over my sunshine-filled Kiwi childhood for many years.”
Now she’s based in Tauranga, where golden sand and glittering blue ocean is minutes away. Unsurprisingly, she is finding inspiration everywhere. “I’ll never get bored of that moment when the ocean comes into view and your feet first touch the sand.”
Tell us about your background.
My parents were very artistic, so I grew up in a creative and encouraging environment. That said, although I’ve worked in creative roles such as marketing and design for most of my life, art itself was put on the back burner for a long time. When the kids were toddlers, I started to create small paintings at the dining table on weekends. Since returning home to New Zealand, I’ve been able to work part-time, which has really propelled me to do more of what I love.
Why acrylic painting? Do any other mediums appeal?
I’ve been exploring other mediums recently, particularly oil paints and I love the thick, buttery feel of them. However, I’ve found that when I’m in a creative flow, the work itself happens quite quickly. That flow might dissipate if I had to wait days for various layers to dry. I also tend to work on one painting at a time, which again means that for now, I’m better suited to working with acrylics. One day, I’d love to explore ceramics or sculptural mediums too.
What is your usual creative process?
It really starts any time I’m outside. I’m a prolific photographer and until recently created digital sketches from photos, before moving onto canvas. Lately, I’ve introduced a different process to help hone my observation skills, such as painting plein-air (painting landscapes outdoors), and creating smaller studies on paper before committing the best compositions to canvas. I’m really enjoying that time to explore my subjects in a more playful way.
What draws you to creating landscapes?
When our kids were small, we bought a campervan and began to take mini adventures around the UK. It was only then that we discovered how alive we felt by spending time away from the rat race and in nature. There is a sense of peace and ease I don’t feel anywhere else. I think I’m compelled to try to evoke those feelings in someone else – in the form of landscape and seascape paintings.
Your latest series, The Falls, is so stylistically different to your Summer Nostalgia collection. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind it?
As mentioned, I’ve recently begun to incorporate plein-air painting into my process. During one trip to McLaren Falls Park, I was struck by how nature was constantly shifting around me. It even moved when I was still. The light would change, a breeze would lift leaves on the trees, or birds would come and go out of the scene. Nature is always in flux. With this new series, I’m trying to bring a sense of that to the canvas with loose, energetic brushwork. Some constants between collections remain, however, such as my love for New Zealand’s nature, the way
I distill a scene down to what I feel are the essential elements, and what some might call a blatant disregard for details.
You were a part of a group that launched the BOP Open Studios art trail. Why were you drawn to that project?
Nicola Welten, a fellow artist on the team, can be very persuasive. It didn’t take a lot of arm-twisting to get me on board. We really wanted to create more opportunities to connect Bay of Plenty artists with art lovers and collectors in their local area. The success of the event just highlighted how much amazing talent there is across the Bay, and that there is a real appetite from art collectors to access local art.
What’s on the horizon for your art?
Right now, I’m focused on finalising and launching The Falls collection. I’ve also started to create some small coastal studies for the next series. Medium-term I’d love to get another campervan and hit the road with my art supplies, gathering inspiration and painting plein-air in different corners of New Zealand.
Where can readers find your work?
The Falls collection and some of my Summer Nostalgia collection can be found on my website or at The Little Gallery, Soul Gallery and Waihi Beach Gallery. Plus, you can come have a chat and see my work as part of the Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival in November.
Browse Tracey’s work on her site, traceyfinchart.com.
New Zealand artists to know
- Meet the woman behind Magnolia Lane & Co Ceramics
- Samantha Peacock of Heart of Glass on the art of stained glass
- Wanaka artist Agate Rubene walks us through a day in her life
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