Painting has been a lifelong passion,
for as long as I can remember I have always loved to paint.

The brooding unease of troubled blue skies and shadowy red skies provide dramatic backdrops for studies of various flowers, including dahlias, wildflowers, lillies and poppies.

A diversion prompted a study with red hot chillies. For this series of paintings Marianne has drawn inspiration from her love of gardens and flowers.

Marianne's oil paintings involve lots of paint in vivid colours, applied in a striking style with a palette knife. Throughout the exhibition she has explored the use of colour and texture using thick impasto paints and acrylic polymers.

Every stroke in each painting looks fresh because she constantly loads and reloads her knife working wet into wet a method called alla prima.

Marianne started studying art with Mary Archibald in her evenings and weekends after completing her university studies. In the past Marianne’s preferred subject has been the figure and portraits, with a focus on mainly life drawing and painting.

She has attended many workshops and master classes conducted by a wide variety of artists. She has used a range of media and techniques including oils, acrylics, watercolours and print-making.

Marianne is a regular exhibitor of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. She lives in Lower Hutt with her partner and two young children.