Introducing MAUREEN ROKE

Maureen with her sketch book

What is your background and how does that inform your art? I grew up on a farm in Matakana with no official art education at school so it wasn't until I moved to the UK that I began my painting life with an adventure into the school system doing night school A Level art with a brilliant teacher. This was followed by a wide range of tutors and working with English artists. I work mainly in watercolours and have exhibited and sold paintings in London. I have also worked as a floral designer and tutor for many years, both in the UK and NZ. Upon returning to New Zealand, I went to Hungry Creek Art School to reinvigorate my art practice. What type of art do you create and what motivates you? My passion is for sketching both realism and abstract, rural and urban. Later I may extend these initial sketches into larger works, either in watercolour, acrylic, oil or mixed media paintings on paper, board or canvas.

Favourite or most inspiration place? One of my favourite places is Sandspit where I live and have my studio, because the views are inspiring to me as an artist. Fishing boats, yachts, cute cottages, baches, beach, harbour and bush, all are beautiful or just interesting. As a result of all this inspiration, I have printed a small book of sketches called, Rambling around Sandspit, which is available for sale at the Mahurangi East Library.

SANDSPIT RAMBLINGS - A book of sketches by Maureen of her favourite Sandspit spots