My attachment with the landscapes of the moors and wild places of northern Britain, rekindled by the raw tussock lands of the Maniototo, give me, despite being a newcomer, a feeling of connectedness with this land. A few years ago, after moving to Naseby, I discovered a watercolour drawing by Rita Angus, entitled: “Sketch for Central Otago (Naseby) 1953.” This was clearly sketched from the lower Kyeburn Diggings and shows Mt Kyeburn in the background. The mountain is unchanged – it could have been sketched today - apart from the passing of clouds and seasons. I felt, on seeing this painting, a delightful feeling of recognition and belonging: an anchor-point of familiarity. For me this is one of the many pleasures of art in general and, perhaps, landscape paintings in particular, and one I work to realize in my paintings.
