Marion Towns

Born 1956 Cambridge, New Zealand.vibrant pastel world of New Zealand artist Marion Towns.Internationally recognised, Marion has a credible list of major exhibitions behind her and her works sell to art lovers throughout the world.Marion Towns draws a powerful inspiration from nature and life. She does not record from the outside but expresses the feelings that identifies with the natural (including human) state of being. It is this ability to almost feel inside herself the essence of the landscape, to not only see the beauty and value of it but have deep and passionate connection with it. This is not new in New Zealand, the indigenous people of the country, the Maori have had a link with the land that is openly spiritual. Marion is not a Maori but in her own way mirrors the Maori concepts. She takes this love for the sky, sea and hills into her love and respect for humans. This takes the form of a devotion to painting the Nude. In recent years the two aspects have appeared together in her pictures. To Marion the Nude is not a symbol but is always a portrait of a real person in a real context and, put simply, the Nude for Marion is the reality of nature no less than are the hills she portrays.

Educated at Papatoetoe High School and attended a Graphic Design Course at A.T.I. Auckland, New Zealand.Marion started painting 25 years ago. Her technical strength lies in pastels and she is constantly exploring new ways of using this medium. She has been exhibiting for 17 years and has had 16 solo exhibitions, 3 joint shows and 7 awards. Out of 125 exhibitions she has been a finalist in 35. Two of her solo exhibitions were in America.Exhibitions and AwardsINTERNATIONAL COMPETITION TAIWANIn 1997 Marion was the sole NZ finalist to be selected from 10, 000 entries for the '8th Biennial Printing & Drawing Exhibition' Taipei - TaiwanREADERS DIGESTIn 1999 'Cactus Bay' featured on the back cover of the July edition of the Reader's Digest.AWARDSHubbard Merit Prize - 1990 Waiheke Art Fair3rd Prize - 1991 Waiheke Art FairBest Drawing Prize - 1994 'Fact Fiction and Fantasy' Art Awards - WaihekeTe Rau Award - 1996 Waiheke Art AwardsAssociate of PANZ, 2004 Pastel Artist of New Zealand LtdLandscape Prize, 2004 Southern Pastel Artist, Invercargill2nd Prize, 2005 Visual Illusion Art Competition, WanakaOVERSEAS EXHIBITIONSNew York & Earth Eco Network Exhibition, Russia and New York - 19978th Biennial Print & Drawing Exhibition, Taiwan - 1997Swann...