Cindy Woest

My art:

I strive to create memory saturated interpretations of the natural world, people we love and special occasions - so that we can see them and remember them during our everyday lives. I want to celebrate our shared memories of those perfect days we spent in iconic places with those we love. Those places and times when our eyes have recognised the absolute magnificence of the world around us; and when our hearts wanted to hold on to this here-and-now forever. I want to capture the soul of those moments in my paintings, to hold them in space and time so that we can take them with us. These paintings are more than a copy of a scene or trying to be a photo; they are a reflection of the emotions we felt during a moment when we loved just being alive.

Once gone, these glorious moments can leave a deep sadness in us because we all know that we have to go back to everyday living, to work, to reality. I want my paintings to allow us to relive those awe-inspiring days, to bring those memories back into our hum-drum lives, or homes, our workplaces, our gathering places. So that, with a glance, we can remember and relive, and maybe share again that joy and love with our family or friends. 

The works themselves can be loosely categorized as colourist impressions created with oil paint – sometimes on canvas, sometimes on boards or panels, and sometimes on canvas on boards. Often my work is done plein air at some stage in the process, and small works are often alla prima.

About me:

I Studied Fine Art at Rhodes University (South Africa) 1987-89 under Professor Robert Brooks, majoring in the History of Fine Art and Fine Art Practice (Oil Painting) as part of a Bachelor of Arts degree. 

I completed Honours in Geography followed by a Masters in City and Regional Planning at the University of Cape Town.

I traveled the UK, Europe and Eastern Europe in 1993 and emigrated to New Zealand in 1996.

After many years of working as a strategy and spatial planner, I have now returned to painting.

I live and work at the Whangārei Heads, which is located on the north shore of the Whangārei Harbour, Northland, New Zealand.