My painting journey began in 2003, when I suddenly developed a fascination with the colours and forms in the New Zealand landscape, and how the constantly changing light affected sea and sky.


I began with watercolour, as my brother Chris, who is a professional artist in the UK, has worked with watercolour all his life, and it seemed like the natural place for me to begin.  I loved the excitement and unpredictability of working wet-in-wet, especially painting skies and water.  I knew nothing, but I soon learned a lot - from books, studying paintings in galleries, working with other artists and getting occasional lessons along the way.


In early 2007, I attended a Jane Zusters 8-day workshop at The Quarry in Whangarei, which marked a major turning point for me, discovering the joys and challenges of working with acrylics, building multiple layers to develop depth and mystery. I gradually began to let go of the tight reins of control that had been holding me back, and realised that my imagination and spirit could offer much more than I had thought possible.


I discovered that it was okay to make mistakes, in fact, it was a necessary learning tool.  Now, I try to allow my musician’s improvisational instincts to take over once I start painting, aiming for, in Max Gimblett’s words, “All mind, no mind”.


In the last 3 years, the challenge of learning how to draw and paint figures, and using oils for the first time, has been huge and immensely satisfying, in spite of the inevitable frustrations.  This year, 2017, I will have a chance to show some of this more recent work.

Brenda Liddiard

Artistic Statement

Arrivals & Departures: Separated by the Seas I

Mixed Media on Canvas 2013

    Resume            Paintings 2009/2010             Paintings 2012                    Paintings 2013                  Paintings 2014        Paintings 2015-17

Jerusalem Windows Series                     Arrivals and Departures Series                          Prints                     Watercolours                    Exhibition News