A new dimension _{by Harry Bartle}

Wellesley College is very excited to present the return of its major exhibition, ARTBOURNE 2022, at the college’s Centennial Hall from the 10^th to the 13^th of November. The intimate display will showcase the talents of award-winning creatives, local emerging artists, and Wellesley’s previous artists in residence, with hundreds of pieces showing throughout the four days.

Making his first appearance at ARTBOURNE is local designer and artist Tim Christie. Originally known for developing some of New Zealand’s most iconic brands, Christie has quickly risen to global acclaim for his unique visual art. His innovative, fashion-forward style has been described as a combination of optical art, pop art, street art, geometric expressionism, and De Stijl. He is now a full-time artist working out of YoGallery, a creative space in central Wellington where he makes and showcases his work.

How did you get involved with ARTBOURNE 2022?

I have a few connections with Wellesley College. The art teacher there who is organising the event, Glen Jorna, I’ve met him quite a few times and my son goes there too. It also helps that my art is doing pretty well at the moment!

You have an original artistic style that combines many techniques. How would you describe it?

My art emerged in some respects from my design practice. In essence, it’s to do with two-dimensional geometric designs depicting three-dimensional anatomical forms like animal and human faces. This is because you get the symmetrical geometrical design along with the biological symmetry of the face which looks really cool and unique. I started with digital art and digital prints before migrating to one-off original paintings with the same approach. Then I started creating light works, which came about when I was looking at my black and white pieces and their effect and I thought, how can I amplify that even more? Black and white to black and light, I called it. Finally, I’ve also explored weavings where I weave strips together to create the linear lines in my works. I’ve also played with combinations of all these different things. In the end, they all tie into this idea of 2D geometric design and 3D form.

How many works will you be exhibiting at ARTBOURNE?

Around 10 to 15 pieces, a good range that includes my paintings, prints, lightworks, and weavings. In recent times I’ve done a few native birds that have been very popular so I’m bringing some of those to ARTBOURNE. I’ve got quite a large collection now, so I am making sure to hand pick the ones I think will resonate with the local audience.

Recently you’ve taken your work around the world to places such as LA. However, what do you enjoy about exhibiting at a local event?

The great thing about ARTBOURNE is it’s a win-win. The artist is getting a whole lot of exposure through a new channel and then the school is making money from sales that goes towards scholarships and things like that, which I really like.