Inese Velde

“I wanted to communicate to the viewers how special our environment in Aotearoa is but specifically how this environment is changing as we progress further into climate change. Our environment looks different, it sounds different and it works differently to how it did 10 years ago. My art highlights how beautiful, interesting and special our environment is but also how it has changed and will continue to change. As I experiment with abstraction in a lot of my work, it builds a personal connection between the viewer and the environment. The viewer is able to take away their own story and emotion from the landscape which is important to me.

From a young age, I have always felt most at home and happiest out in nature. Having grown up experiencing the fun of the outdoors from canoeing down rivers to hiking up mountains with my friends and whānau. I knew that capturing my love and passion for nature throughout my art was important to me. The artworks I have created have been inspired from the places where I have made memories while exploring Aotearoa’s unique landscapes with my hope to be able to preserve these landscapes."