Artist tenders his work in Nelson
Bainham lodge owner and artist Reg Turner with Reflections, one of his abstract impressionist paintings. Photo: Gerard Hindmarsh.
Bainham lodge owner and artist Reg Turner is exhibiting 30 of his paintings at the Refinery Art Space in Nelson.
What’s unique about the one-man show, which will run from 12 – 28 May, is that none of the abstract paintings will have price tags. Rather, they will be up for individual tender, with the highest tender taking home the work at the end of the show.
“All the paintings have to be sold, even if it’s for just 10 bucks. I certainly won’t be taking any of them home. It’ll be a matter of letting the market decide. My rationale behind this is that I’m an outsider in the art scene and I’ve never been formally trained, so I don’t actually have a clue what my works may be worth,” said Reg.
Unlike an open or silent auction, where everyone knows what the previous bids are, the written-down bids for his works will be kept confidential so no one knows what they’re up against.
Reg’s abstract impressionist paintings are not small; the average size in this show is 1.2m x 1.0m. His effects are produced by combining both oils and acrylic paints in the same painting, many of which have a marine theme.
“Oil repels waters, which is why the effect can be so marvellous. Some of the paintings are spontaneous, while others are carefully calculated. People can read into them whatever they like. My target market is offices, apartments and houses with big walls.”
Born on the island of Aruba in the Dutch West Indies (off Venezuela), Reg was given his first set of oil paints at the age of seven by a well-known local marine artist there, H Parry Jones. At age 12, his family returned to England where he won a number of art competitions at school, which spurred him on. He developed his own way of painting, mainly seascapes inspired by JM William Turner (1775-1851), who is often referred to as the “apostle of light”, and credited with founding the abstract impressionist movement at the beginning of the 20th century.
Reg later travelled the world with the Royal Air Force, exhibiting wherever he was stationed. After immigrating to New Zealand in 1972, he was credited with pioneering the concept of luxury lodges when he set up Solitaire Lodge on the shores of Lake Tarawera two years later. His first exhibition in this country was in Rotorua in the same year.
Reg moved to Golden Bay in 2007 and now owns the Song of the Tui – a luxury bed-and-breakfast off Mackays Pass Road, where he also has his studio.
Gerard Hindmarsh
