David Paterson

David Paterson completed a degree in Fine Arts at Ilam in 2004. Growing up on the family farm in Marokopa in the King Country he finds that the landscape continues to inform his paintings. Other elements come from waka ama paddling, sailing charts, walking the dog on the beach. After Covid delivered a great reason to get back into the studio  - which has lead to the current series “Charting the Tiggy.

“The Charting the Tiggy Tree series stems from a game we played as children. There are many variations of it, it's a simple game - our version was called Tiggy and centered around a tree we called the Tiggy Tree. The goal is to get to home base, where you are safe without being tagged.  I’m interested in ideas of sanctuary and the meaning games we play in a secular world”.

“Coming from a time where art that existed before social media I continue to see painting as a form holds meaning quietly over time. My influences go back to the 80’s Hotere, Fomison, McCahn and those paintings continue to resonate. Paintings that were a locus of meaning that act almost as a sanctuary”.

“In the contemporary media scape its easy to get caught up in the spectacle and painting is a nice antidote to a time where our minds can become pinball machines. Painting’s an analog medium that frames a space to dwell consistently over time. I like how a painting's aesthetic, and form function in a way that produces meaning”.