Portrait of an Artist: Nicky Foreman
Filmed during her 2017 exhibition, Minutiae, at ARTIS Gallery.
Artist in Lockdown
During the month of May, ARTIS Gallery will feature the work of seven of our represented artists. The second artist in the series is Nicky Foreman.
Foreman’s work can be viewed twofold – in small icon-like pieces and as the whole. Her work is concerned with taking everyday objects and resetting them, so they might be viewed in a difference context – as precious and beautiful. Within this method of working Foreman plays off order against chaos, and abstract against figurative. The video, featured above, filmed three years ago relates to Foreman’s past and ongoing practice
“My current work has a duality – the meshing together of past work drawn from the landscape and personal family history of the North Taranaki region and more recent bonds with France. Over the last 15 years I have worked with a range of media inventing different surfaces for myself. I want to create a tactile quality that makes the viewer almost need to touch the work.” – Nicky Foreman
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Homeland
Oil & mixed media on board
170 x 550 mm
three panels
Signed, 2020 verso -
Containment
Oil & mixed media on board
1070 x 1400 mm
nine 350 x 460 mm panels
Signed, 2020 -
Navigate
Oil & mixed media on board
500 x 500 mm
Signed -
Magnolia Quatrefoil
Mixed media on board
170 x 170 mm -
Steadfast
Oil and mixed media on board
1500 x 2000 mm
2018 -
Quatrefoil – Green Series I
Mixed media on board
170 x 170 mm
Signed & dated verso -
SOLD
Quatrefoil – Green Series V
Mixed media on board
170 x 170 mm
Signed & dated verso -
Treeline
Oil and gold leaf on board
300 x 500 mm
2019 -
Incrementum
Mixed media on board
1200 x 600 mm
Signed verso
2019
Nicky Foreman was born in Waitara, Taranaki in 1970. She attended Elam School of Fine Arts Auckland University 1988 – 1991 and graduated BFA 1992. First exhibiting in Auckland and New Plymouth in 1992, Foreman has exhibited regularly in Auckland, New Plymouth and Christchurch ever since.
From the onset, she has worked in a compartmentalized format. Foreman’s work can be viewed twofold – in small icon-like pieces and as the whole. Her work is concerned with taking everyday objects and resetting them, so they might be viewed in a difference context – as precious and beautiful. Within this method of working Foreman plays off order against chaos, and abstract against figurative.
Foreman uses oil paint with an assemblage of other materials. She manipulates her materials and invents for herself new techniques that evolve through her everyday practice, giving a sense of alchemy to her artwork. Using gold, silver and copper leaf, wax, inks and shellacs, she engenders tactile historical surfaces.
For many years, Foreman has visited France on an annual basis. An overwhelming feature of Foreman’s current working practice is the fact that she has a strong connection with France. Her works are in essence, a hybrid of the two contrasting environments of France and New Zealand.
A love of Renaissance painting, particularly the often unnoticed details of foliage with their own symbolism, is evident in the artist’s work.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS AT ARTIS
2019 – Incrementum, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2017 – Minutiae, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2015 – A Promise of Tomorrow, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2013 – Ordinarily Sacred, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
1988 – 1991 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University, Auckland, New Zealand.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019 – Incrementum, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2017 – Minutiae, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2015 – A Promise of Tomorrow, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2013 – ARTIS Pavilion – Auckland Art Fair, Auckland
Ordinarily Sacred, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2012 – Flourish, ARTIS Gallery, Auckland
2011 – Naissance, Gallery Thirty Three, Wanaka
2010 – Techne Tou Biou, Christchurch
Rotatio, Whitespace, Auckland
2009 – Small Works, The Arthouse, Christchurch
2008 – New Work, Whitespace, Auckland
Nouveaux Tableaux, Espace Cotos, St Tropez, France
Paintings, Amisfield Winery, Lake Hayes, Queenstown
New Work, The Arthouse, Christchurch
New Paintings, Gallery Thirty Three, Wanaka
2007 – New Paintings, Cable Bay, Waiheke Island
New Work, Whitespace, Auckland
New Work, The Arthouse, Christchurch
2006 – New Paintings, Whitespace, Auckland
2005 – New Work, Whitespace, Auckland
Un regard sur une nouvelle couleur, Vallauris, France
Un regard sur une nouvelle couleur, Whitespace, Auckland
Clearing, Bowen galleries, Wellington
2004 – New Work, Whitespace, Auckland
2003 – New Work, Whitespace, Auckland
New Paintings, Bowen Galleries, Wellington
New Work, Lesley Kreisler Gallery, New Plymouth
2002 – New Work, Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland
2001 – Recent Work, Bowen Galleries, Wellington
New Work, Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland
2000 – Round the Mountain, Lesley Kreisler Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
New Work, Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
1999 – Homeward, Bowen Galleries, Wellington, NZ
1998 – Treasure, Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Quest, Lesley Kreisler Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
1997 – Past Voyages, Judith Anderson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
1996 – Time & Tide, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
Recent Works, Lesley Kreisler Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
1995 – New Work, Oedipus Rex, Auckland, NZ
1994 – On the Way Back, Oedipus Rex, Auckland, NZ
1993 – New Work, Lesley Kreisler Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ
Recent Work, Oedipus Rex, Auckland, NZ
1992 – Plains of Time, Chiaroscuro, Auckland, NZ
COMMISSIONS & COLLECTIONS
Nicky Foreman is represented in private and corporate collections throughout New Zealand and internationally, including New York art collector – Jim Rosenfield’s collection. Commissions include works for the National Business Review, Saatchi & Saatchi and Chapman Tripp.