Artist and housetruck fan launches exhibition
Luane Brauner with a portrait she painted of Sika. Photo: Ina Holst.
During the winter months, Luane Brauner’s sensual depictions of local characters, pets and landscapes, in oil and acrylics, pastels and watercolours, can be viewed at the Dangerous Kitchen Café over a steaming cup of coffee.
Luane moved to Golden Bay from East Germany two years ago and has since joined the local art scene, painting portraits and commissioned works.
“Golden Bay fascinates me: it is the friendliness of the people and the many layers of the society, from conservative to the alternative; it is all possible and acceptable. Then there is the wide range of art and artists which makes life here so interesting, and then of course the beauty of the physical environment is inspiring.”
Housetrucks in particular have captured her imagination, and Luane has decided to work towards a book with her own paintings and text on the trucks and housetrucking culture.
“When I came to New Zealand, I was amazed by housetrucks and the lifestyle that comes with them. It was so unusual, and New Zealand is probably one of the few countries where people are still allowed to drive these home-made trucks around.” The self-taught painter began her creative process by full immersion, and bought herself a beautifully restored housetruck which functions both as her home and studio. “I cannot write a book about it if I don’t experience what it is like to live in one.”
Luane has always been interested in art, saying she “came into the world like this”.
“As a teenager I painted portraits of rock bands onto T-shirts and sold them to earn some pocket money.” When Luane began painting full-time 20 years ago, while living with her family in an isolated house surrounded by forest, art materials were still in short supply in East Germany, and she only had time to paint after the children were tucked up in bed. Later she began to give art lessons, which she intends to do again after a short visit to the northern hemisphere.
In the meantime, Luane can be contacted via email on <l.brauner@gmx.de>.
Ina Holst
