Hilda Wiseman

Hilda Wiseman produced her first linocut in 1925, making her an early adopter of the medium in this country. Native plants and birds were often her focus, and her prints combine accurate observation with an expressive sense of character. She trained initially as a commercial artist before attending art school and never lost her eye for a memorable image, as can be seen in this inviting glimpse of twisted trunks silhouetted against a bright sky. The contrasting slashing marks of the linocut medium fit Wiseman’s subject perfectly, as she conveys dappled light and a wide variety of textures, including the jagged leaves, oblong fruit and notched trunks of tall nīkau palms.

(He Kapuka Oneone – A Handful of Soil, 2025)