Artist’s work inspired by his love of the sea
Leading a sea-faring life has meant artist Alfred Memelink’s work finds it’s happy medium in watercolours.
The Petone artist is about to open his first Manawatu exhibition at Taylor Jensen Fine Arts and his paintings reflect a life-long love of the sea and the streets of his hometown of Wellington.
‘‘From early childhood, the salt was in my blood and I just loved being near the sea and on the sea.
‘‘I was always around the harbour or the foreshore watching ships unload.
‘‘When I was a kid we didn’t have a TV, so our parents always encouraged us to be creative in our spare time and so I also always had a love of art.’’
Memelink said that he never considered art as a career and went on to become a marine engineer.
‘‘I went to sea in my early 20s and the hobby of the ship was to go to the bar. That was fun for the first few months, but I decided this wasn’t going to be good long term and I needed another hobby.’’
Watercolour painting was something he could do in his cabin and he soon filled the small space during his time at sea.
Now retired from engineering, Memelink has dedicated his time to painting and said what was a hobby has now become his career.
He owns his own gallery, Artspace, in Petone.
‘‘I love painting around Wellington and all around the coast. Of all the ports I have visited around the world, Wellington is still my favourite. It’s a lovely harbour penned in by hills and little streets, with views down to the sea.
‘‘We are so blessed with the scenery around New Zealand,’’ Memelink said.
Memelink’s exhibition of watercolours, Land and Sea: The Watercolour World will open at Taylor Jensen Fine Arts on March 23 with a public reception. It will run until April 8.