Richard Higham | Still Returning
25 September–31 October
Opening 5:00-7:00pm, Friday 25 September
My work is inspired by the richness and diversity of New Zealand's landscapes and botanical environments. As both an architect and a painter, I am fascinated by the underlying structures, rhythms, and patterns that exist within nature. Whether depicting native bush, wetlands, coastal environments, or cultivated gardens, I seek to balance observation with interpretation, creating works that are both recognisable and expressive.
Painting allows me to explore the energy, colour, and complexity of the natural world in
ways that go beyond a literal representation. Through layering, texture, and composition, I aim to capture not only the appearance of a place but also its atmosphere and sense of life.
My intention is to encourage viewers to pause, look closely, and reconnect with the beauty and vitality of the environments that surround us.
ABOUT THE ARTIST: RICHARD HIGHAM
Richard Higham is a North Shore-based artist whose painting practice has developed alongside a lifelong interest in architecture, landscape, and the natural environment. His early artistic talent was recognised during his school years, leading to further study through holiday courses at the Auckland Society of Arts. At secondary school he was fortunate to be taught by Lyndon Smith and Paul Dibble, both of whom later became prominent New Zealand sculptors.
Richard graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Auckland in 1984 and worked as an architect until 2002. Throughout his architectural career, he continued to paint, maintaining a strong connection to the visual arts. A seven-month journey through England and Europe in 1987 rekindled his passion for painting, inspiring works based on the architecture and landscapes he encountered. Over time, his focus shifted toward the distinctive landscapes and botanical environments of New Zealand.
Working primarily in acrylic on canvas, Richard's paintings reflect the influence of both his artistic and architectural backgrounds. His work combines an awareness of structure, composition, and spatial relationships with a love of colour, texture, and the expressive qualities of paint.
Since the 1990s, Richard has exhibited extensively throughout New Zealand, including at
Mairangi Arts Centre, The Pumphouse, Northart, Estuary Arts Centre, and galleries across
the country. He has also been recognised as a finalist in the Molly Morpeth Canaday Art Awards.