poem

Blossomtime

final painting of pink cherry trees lining a footpath bordering Hagley Park in Christchurch, New Zealand
| Anna Cull
final painting (cherry trees lining a footpath bordering Hagley Park in Christchurch, NZ) presented in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
‘Blossomtime’ acrylic on canvas, 610 x 510 mm, 2024. Available.

Fluffy pink popcorn
Leaps from ten thousand branches:
Spring in slow motion.

It’s strange to be posting a painting of spring in the first week of winter! (Okay, so it won’t seem at all strange to those of you in the northern hemisphere.) Christchurch’s Hagley Park is always a picture when the blossoms pop. I’ve been meaning to paint this scene for ages… and now here it is.

  • the photo reference that inspired the painting of pink cherry trees in full blossom bordering Hagley Park in Christchurch, NZ
    Photo reference
  • work in progress underpainting in greys, white and yellow ochre
    WIP 1
  • work in progress adding pale blue and more detail to the landscape
    WIP 2
  • work in progress adding green and more details to the landscape
    WIP 3
  • final painting of pink cherry trees lining a footpath bordering Hagley Park in Christchurch, New Zealand
    Final

No charcoal sketch this time ~ just straight in with brush and paint. ‘Blossomtime’ will be part of this month’s exhibition at the Down by the Liffey Gallery.

THE REAL AND THE SURREAL EXHIBITION
WEDNESDAY 12TH JUNE — SUNDAY 7TH JULY
DOWN BY THE LIFFEY GALLERY, 1 JAMES STREET, LINCOLN, CANTERBURY, NZ

The other artists exhibiting will be potter Della Goodinson and painter Georgette Thompson.

Trees

final painting of a row of trees with green grass in the foreground and soft blue mountains in the distance, presented in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
| Anna Cull
final painting of a row of trees with green grass in the foreground and soft blue mountains in the distance, presented in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
‘A Conversation with Trees’ acrylic on canvas, 305 x 610 mm, 2024. Available.

Sunlight gathers; leaves,
Deep in conversation, turn
Autumn evergreen.

  • the photo reference that inspired the painting: a typical New Zealand landscape of sheep, green grass and a line of trees
    Photo reference
  • work in progress tonal underpainting in grey, white and yellow ochre
    WIP 1
  • work in progress adding colour and details to the landscape
    WIP 2
  • work in progress adding more colour and details to the landscape
    WIP 3
  • final painting on canvas
    Final

This is a scene I’ve painted before ~ both with and without sheep. I love the shapes and the colours, and I love that it is so typically New Zealand. ‘A Conversation with Trees’ will also be part of my exhibition in June. Details coming next month.

Clouds

final painting of low clouds over bushy green hills, blue mountains in the distance and three power poles on the left in the foreground, presented in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
| Anna Cull
‘A Conversation with Clouds’ acrylic on canvas, 305 x 610 mm, 2024. SOLD

Whispers of low cloud
Come and go with the sunrise:
A perfect morning.

  • Photo reference
  • WIP 1
  • WIP 2
  • WIP 3
  • Final
‘A Conversation with Clouds’ detail
‘A Conversation with Clouds’ detail

I am saving this one for June’s exhibition ~ it looks so much better in person than in the photos. I will post details of the exhibition a little closer to the time.

What Goes Around…

acrylic painting on small canvas of Dunedin, houses and trees
| Anna Cull
‘What Goes Around…’ acrylic on canvas, 205 x 205 mm, 2023. Available.

The view from the top
Of a hill in a small town
Was another hill.

Dunedin photo reference, 2013

I find Dunedin’s beautiful architecture endlessly interesting ~ there’s so much character and variety in those houses… and you know how I love to paint trees!

Small Paintings of Big Trees

acrylic painting on small canvas of tall trees in a semi-abstract style
| Anna Cull
‘Redwoods I’ acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 mm, 2023. Available.

Giants with branches
That try but never quite touch
The scattered blue sky.

‘Redwoods II’ acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 mm, 2023. Available.

I never get tired of painting the Hamurana Springs redwoods and have plans to paint larger versions of these small studies in the not too distant future. I have so many paintings planned though (I’ve just bought half a dozen canvases because the sales are on ~ and I’m about to buy half a dozen more), I think these two may have to wait until next year. So if it’s a little quiet on the blog, it’s only because I’m busy painting.

“Making a different mistake every day is not only acceptable, it is the definition of progress.”

Robert Brault