McCahon Country by Justin Paton

McCahon Country is a better art book than most.  Its design is beautiful and the artist's works are displayed to great effect. The writing is not jargon laden so is more comprehensible than the average art book.

The Promised Land

The book is split into sections like Land, Valley, Bush and Bridge.  Dealing with the subject matter of the works rather than any chronological approach.

Let be, let be

If you want to learn more about the most iconic artist New Zealand has ever produced, start with this.

Te Whiti Tohu

Colin McCahon - a great artist

 Colin McCahon, perhaps the greatest New Zealand contemporary artist, died on this day in 1987.

He painted for over 25 years before his work started to be recognised.  It shows you that perseverance can win out in the end!  There is hope for us all.

McCahon was largely self-taught.  He tried to produce art that would speak to ordinary people rather than just the art elite.

His work is immediately recognisable – it is so distinctive.  He painted about faith, inner strength, peace of mind, optimism, infinity, tolerance and sacrifice.  All human themes.  His paintings often had words in them.  Some of his works are a little too dark for me.  But some are just sublime.

Here is a selection of his works.