Welcome To My ARTIST Website!
Hello! I am so pleased that you decided to stop by! Come on in. The coffee's on or tea if you prefer? There are some nice freshly made hot cheese scones too, with jam and fresh whipped cream!
Art That Speaks Softly - George Inness, one of the ,most well known of the old masters, a member of the Hudson River of artists, once spoke of "Art that speaks softly", that art does not need to shout at you. Art should speak to you like "a whisper on glass". This has always been my aim to bring to you, the viewers, art that will speak to your soul, art that whispers of peace, of quiet contemplation. My hope is that you will feel this when you look at my work, that you will feel the emotion of the work, hear the whisper of a summer breeze, feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, the trickle of a tiny stream, the call of a bird even when it isn't physically there.
The early years – My love of art was initially influenced by the largely untouched area of Papatowai, in the Catlins where our family had a small crib. Time there was spent exploring the coastline, rivers and bush of that beautiful area, the freedom, the fresh air, watching huge pods of dolphin leap and play as they made their journey south, pure magic. My love of nature that developed there still influences my work today. Through my work I hope to share the peace, beauty and tranquility of the natural world with you, my viewers and clients.
influences - I has always enjoyed the works of the Old Masters and those of particular interest are Albert Bierstdat and Thomas Moran. On my last journey to the US I was able to view some of the finest works by both Bierstdat and Moran. Artists working in New Zealand in the 19th Century who’s work also holds a particular interest for me are J. C. Hoyte, Charles Blomfield, John Gully and John Gibb, along with Pietrus Van der Velden a Dutch painter who worked in the Otira area in New Zealand in the late 1800's.
Awards – I have achieved awards both locally and internationally and have been awarded artists residencies in Canterbury NZ, British Columbia Canada, and on the small eco ship "Discovery" in Prince William Sounds Alaska. I have also taken part in artists retreats, a most exciting one being in Grand Teton National Park in the US where I painted alongside some of the finest landscape painters there. My most recent one was July this year, 2025 based at John McGlashan lodge at Te Anau Downs, Fiordland New Zealand, an area of undeniable beauty and wilderness.
Special Interests – I have a special interest in working with farmers, creating a selection of works of their properties. These works are handed down through the generations so that the family’s history and connection with the land is never lost and is preserved for always.
I work in acrylic on canvas and my paintings are purchased both locally and internationally with many having returned to Alaska, a place of particular interest to me since teenage years. I have traveled extensively there over three extended trips and a number of commissions have resulted from those travels.
My journey continues and I'm just so thrilled that I get to share that with you and hope you will stick around and continue along on this journey with me.
While you’re here I have a few suggestions for you of what to explore next on my artist website:
- Explore my collection of Wildlife Paintings, where I capture the wonder of life that makes the wild places its home.
Explore My Wildlife Paintings - Explore my artist bio to learn more about me and my adventures painting in the wild, including the remarkable story about my trip to the Alaskan wilderness on Captain Tom's tugboat.
Learn More About Me - And don’t forgot to sign up for my email list so we can keep in touch and you can get early access to my latest artwork.
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Warm Regards,
Lorna Allan
