From the Estate - John Drawbridge

“The origins of much of my work lie in the atmospheric elements of the earth and in humanity… My work is about the mood or feeling of a thing, be it a landscape or an indefinable idea.” Drawbridge 1971.

A brilliant and diverse visual artist, Drawbridge created a challenging, exciting and varied body of work in a career spanning over 50 years. Oil and watercolour painter, printmaker, muralist and stained glass artist, he was also a natural teacher. With a teaching career spanning more than 40 years, he at some point shared his time and talents with many in New Zealand’s creative communities.

In 1957, a National Art Gallery Traveling Scholarship took Drawbridge to the UK to study at the Central School of Art and Design, London. In 1960, he married sculptor Tanya Ashken and together they moved to Paris where he studied under SM Hayter and Johnny Friedlaender.

One of New Zealand’s leading and most accomplished artists, Drawbridge was awarded an MBE (1978) and an Honorary Doctorate of Literature, Massey University (2002). His work is held in some of the world’s most celebrated collections, including the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum, London. His public works include the 40m long Beehive Banquet Hall mural, Parliament; the Expo ‘70 mural, Osaka, Japan (now at Akl University); the NZ House mural, London (now at Victoria University, Wgtn); and the stained glass windows and Stations of the Cross, Home of Compassion, Island Bay, Wellington.

From the Estate includes a selection of Drawbridge works from 1949 through 2005. These include a watercolour and rare, signed etchings and mezzotints, only recently released by the estate. Also included are paintings (oil & watercolour), and ink and graphite drawings.