Michael Blow
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Michael Blow is considered one of New Zealand’s foremost representation artists. As a full time professional, he has been painting for over thirty five years and in that time has exhibited in over one hundred solo and group shows.
His training began at Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Art and after graduation, in London, at the Sir John Cass School of Fine Art. In 1971 he returned to Napier and tutored for the Hawke’s Bay Art Gallery and Museum in painting and drawing, before beginning his career as an artist.
Michael has entered just two art competitions, the Kelliher Art Competition and the George Harrison Award, both of which he won.
But his main quest and energy has been towards an understanding of the beauty and intricacy of the world around us and the honing of skills to bring it to life on canvas.
In that quest he has studied and painted in many countries including Europe, Scandinavia, Africa, Australia and Bali, Japan as well as New Zealand.
Michael has always had a special feeling for people, flowers and still life and they are on display, as well as some studies from Europe.
In his latest exhibition "Three Man Show", Michael said his search for subject matter over the years had taken him to many places around the world, however "this year, I found inspiration much closer to home in the tiny township of Te Pohue. It came about when I joined a film crew working here on a documentary about medieval knights as they train and prepare to represent New Zealand at the 2014 Battle of the Nations in Luxembourg. Such magical characters caught my imagination, and their quest seemed like a metaphor for mankind's search for the purpose of life."