In Love / Delight in the art of Alexandra Weston

Art should be about exploring an instant connection, Julia Atkinson-Dunn explains while introducing us to one of her favourite artists of the moment.

Ithink sometimes abstract art scares people. Darting eyes search for hidden messages and the anxiety of not ‘knowing what it means’ seems too much for many. Truth is, the only important response you need to find from a piece of art is ‘Do I love to look at this?’.

The work of Lyttelton artist Alexandra Weston always prompts a resounding ‘YES’ in my head!

Alexandra works from the home she shares with her family. A grand old dame, perched up the valley and reached by the narrow, winding roads typical of the port town. While her studio space might be small, the scale and depth of the artworks created within it are matched only by the sweeping views it commands over the harbour.

After years based in Hong Kong running her own design and lifestyle store, it was a

chance discovery of Perspex offcuts in an industrial part of the city that stirred some new ideas. It wasn’t until she returned home to New Zealand in 2013 that she began to experiment and uncover her process leading to exquisite, captivating work.

Alexandra has a superior affinity with colour and when combined with her truly unique style, the results can only really be described as vibrant, painterly galaxies! From a distance they appear almost as pattern, however, closer inspection reveals incredible layers of meticulously placed painted dots and strokes. These are made almost three dimensional through the thick layer of Perspex that they have been painted directly onto.

This is art that offers an experience as opposed to a view.

Alexandra has a superior affinity with colour and when combined with her truly unique style, the results can only really be described as vibrant, painterly galaxies!

Julia Atkinson-Dunn of Studio Home is a home and garden writer with a big art problem. In late 2018 she launched her ART HOUSE pop-up project, focused on displaying beautiful NZ artworks in a less intimidating, domestic environment. The success of the art shows led to the launch of a growing online art gallery where she strips back the formalities of the traditional gallery model to introduce art to audiences from the comfort of their homes. @studiohome, studiohomearthouse.co.nz

OPPOSITE TOP LEFT / Alexandra Weston in front of one of her artworks. OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT / Alexandra's process is deliberate and time-consuming, painting onto the reverse side of sheets of Perspex. ABOVE LEFT / A series of Alexandra's completed artworks. ABOVE RIGHT / The finished works are framed and extremely hardy with the painted surface viewed through the Perspex. LEFT / Alexandra in her Lyttelton studio.