Jan Waterfield

Jan started to paint after an art/study tour of France and Italy in 2000, which has influenced her work, particularly handmade masks.

A background in art and craft spanning more than twenty years has been the perfect foundation for the journey into painting.

Since her first solo exhibition in 2004, Jan has regularly exhibited in Wellington and the Kapiti coast often as a member of 'The Circle of Friends' group of local artists, which most recently exhibited at the Taupo Museum Art Gallery in 2009.

Recently Jan and her partner Bob Gibbs opened their own Huia Gallery at their home in Waikanae.

They are regular participants in the annual Kapiti Arts Trail, but working from home, they are always happy to show people their work.

Jan is well-known on the Kapiti Coast for her mask-making. Each mask is individually created, and comes with it’s own distinct personality.

However increasingly more of her time is spent painting, and she particularly likes to paint from the familiar with themes we all know and love – often as a collage of ideas taken one step further into the realm of fantasy.

As well as painting people, Jan also paints birds and other creatures - haunting faces lovingly painted, and telling a story of their own. Iconic New Zealand symbols such as the majestic nikau palm, pohutukawa trees,and the magical paua shell, also often feature as part of a story.

Reveling in life on the Kapiti Coast she often draws inspiration from Nature and all it's wonder, at the same time aiming to amuse through the art of visual story-telling!