Bill Burke
- Artist's Gallery Page
Artist's Profile Page
Like his mother and grandfather, Bill's passion and focus has always been drawing and painting. He began drawing in pencil, and pen and ink, holding his first exhibition as a Nelson artist at the age of 19. In the 1990s he came into his own, with his superb pencil draughtsmanship working as a basis for large scale watercolours presented in a pictorial style.
Today, Bill paints mostly in oils and pastels. His move into drawing with pastels combines his painterly approach with his extremely polished technical skills.
Bill says he paints pretty much whatever catches his eye, and is as much known for his colourful landscapes, busy maritime scenes and farmyard scenes, as he is for his portrayal of people.
Bill has been selected as a finalist for the third time in a row for the prestigious biennial Adam Portrait Exhibition Award, and in 2012 he won the top prize in the Pastel Artists of New Zealand (PANZ) national competition.