Jane Sinclair

Mentoring Emerging Artists
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MEDIUMS: Acrylic | Oil | Watercolor

SPECIALTY: ✔ Generalist

I follow in my much-loved grandmother’s footsteps, Myrtle McDonald, a well-known watercolour artist in Wellington, NZ. Her walls were covered floor to ceiling with paintings and the dining table was buried under paper and art supplies – such a magical place to encourage creative imagination from early childhood.

While studying architecture and design in my late 20s, I began painting watercolours to earn a few extra dollars, never imagining this instead would one day turn into a much-loved career, including commercial illustration and teaching art to adults. 

I’m a landscape painter first and foremost, but also love architecture, and our NZ birds, working in both oils and watercolours. 

I’ve had numerous solo exhibitions at venues such as the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, and Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History, as well as exhibiting in galleries and group shows throughout New Zealand during the past 30 years. My paintings have made it to many places here and across the world, and I’m so grateful for the commissions that have made up a large part of my work since I started painting.

Teaching has been a joy, and given back in so many ways, including the improvement of my own skills as I share the knowledge I’ve accumulated over many years of art practice.

I live in rural Wairarapa on the banks of the Ruamahanga River, with the Tararua Ranges in the distance, and have always thought how lucky I am to live in the landscape I enjoy painting so much, observing the changing light throughout the day, and through the seasons.