Patricia Howitt

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I am a self-taught artist, working in a variety of media and finally beginning to live my dream.

I was born in the UK and moved to New Zealand via Africa in my teens. I badly wanted to do art, but my family insisted on a ‘proper job’, so I worked hard and went to University.

I practiced law in government, tramping the high country of Central NZ at weekends and holidays to keep my sanity – creating, exhibiting and selling art in my spare time. I was good at my job, but looking back, subconsciously I was always trying to escape. The nearest I ever got to escaping was 2 years as lawyer for the NZ Commission for the Environment and 2 years as CEO of the NZ Deerstalkers’ Association – a position I really enjoyed. .

My father died prematurely, and rather than sell our property, I moved home to the country and stepped into his shoes on a 10 acre block with the house half-built. Well, it was a disaster financially, but it was definitely character-building. Then my mom got Alzheimers and I cared for her for 10 years sole charge, building a "graphic design freelance business on the net to keep me ‘in touch’.

My works are in private collections worldwide, including NZ, Australia, several states in the US, Canada, and France. My Portfolio of Prints of Game Animals of NZ published by NZDA as a limited edition of 500 sets, sold out quite rapidly.

In 1999 I won the Telecom Art Award for Northland, my art featuring on the cover of the Northland Phone Book for the year 2000.

My focus is the outdoors – landscape and animals, as a means of drawing attention to the major conservation issues we are facing. Power, simplicity and mystery are the things that move me.

A few months back I accepted a commission to illustrate a book due to be published in 2012 – the 2000 year life story of a much-venerated New Zealand puriri that for a time was used as a Maori burial tree. The design work for the 35 full color, full-page, wall-to-wall paintings is complete, and I am about 1/3 of the way through the painting process. For the next 3 months I shall still be working hard.

Peace
Patricia

‘Wildlife’ Calendar:

‘Atmospherics’ Calendar:

‘Wild New Zealand’ Calendar: