Taranaki artist Paul Hutchinson has been a full-time artist for more than 40 years, developing painting skills and techniques and continually exploring new mediums.

Born in Middlesbrough, England, Paul’s family emigrated to New Zealand and he settled in New Plymouth in 1974.  It seems art is in Paul’s blood, he was encouraged to paint by his father, who himself worked in watercolours.  For most of that time he has carried the black dog of depression at his shoulders.

Paul has steadfastly refused to follow trends in painting. He is completely self taught and has developed the skills and techniques of painting and continually explores new mediums. Paul creates his own paints using dried pigment which he grinds into oil and other mediums.

He writes: “I love the physical properties of paint, and for me the type of pigment used, and its intrinsic properties, are as important as the colour.

While my work is always labelled ‘realism’ it is the dichotomy and dynamic between the physical paint and the depicted image that interests me most:  before all else they are paintings.

I have no particular message to impart.  Rather it is within the language of paint that I hope my eloquence lies.”