Haunted House — memories of childhood
Art: Shona and Alan’s romance began at school
You have to look ahead. You have to move forward . . . you have to have things to look forward to Shona Paris
Of all her work, there is one painting in particular of high sentimental value to Levin artist Shona Paris, called
Haunted House.
The 76-year-old painted
Haunted House when she was just 11 years old in art class at Highlands Intermediate School in New Plymouth, seated right beside her future husband Alan.
They were good childhood friends, Shona and Alan. Romance bloomed in their late teens. They married in New Plymouth on April 13, 1968.
Now, almost 55 years to the day, Shona was helping library staff at Te Takeretanga o Kurahau-po¯ in Levin to hang
Haunted House on a gallery wall alongside some of her more recent work as part of a month-long exhibition.
“That painting does have great sentimental value,” she said.
Alan Paris suffered a stroke in July last year. The couple had always loved to travel, and had once driven a bus from Kaita¯ ia to Bluff. But they hadn’t done too much travelling lately since the stroke.
Shona said despite life’s challenges, they did their best to maintain a positive outlook. It was a philosophy that shone through in her art.
“You have to look ahead. You have to move forward . . . you have to have things to look forward to,” she said.
Hence the name of the exhibition, Shosholoza, which she said was an African phrase that meant “moving forward”.
In those early school years, one of her art teachers thought enough of her work to send one of her paintings to London.
“I don’t know what was so good about it, but it ended up there,” she said.
Her output of work ebbed and flowed through the years, though art had always played a big part in her life. The family had spent time living in
Masterton, Christchurch and Greymouth, and she had stints as a school art teacher.
While living in New Plymouth, she had a small business called Magic Art, and used to visit rest homes each week holding art sessions. She said it was fun. Residents were able to gift their work to family.
The Levin showing was just the second time her work had been exhibited. Shona staged her first and only other exhibition six years ago, at the age of 70.
“My art is pretty precious to me. I dabble. I’ve had no formal training,” she said.
Shona used a watercolour background, and went from there, calling on her imagination.
“I don’t copy anything. It’s all in my imagination,” she said.
Ultimately, her work and love for art was self-fulfilling.
“You have to celebrate being alive,” she said.