A.A. Deans: Antarctic Stories

A.A. Deans is a Canterbury artist (93 years old at the time of this exhibition) who is well-known for his traditional landscape paintings depicting his beloved high country. As a keen mountaineer and adventurer he has ascended many of New Zealand's major peaks. His understanding of the terrain is translated in his canvases that are often studies of scenes from his forays into the Alps. As he has said, 'I've always stuck to landscape, because it's my chief enthusiasm in life. And it's been a very happy life'.

In 1981 Deans visited Antarctica for three weeks where he spent time sketching, painting watercolours and photographing the environment. During his time there he travelled to the Dry Valleys, a landscape that fascinated him for its similarities to parts of New Zealand.

This exhibition in the Tait Electronics Gallery presents work from this expedition to Antarctica and will include watercolours that demonstrate Deans' process.

Austen Deans attended the Canterbury College of Art during the mid 1930s, where he was taught by Archibald Nicholl and Cecil Kelly. He joined the territorial army in 1938 and was a prisoner of war in Poland and Crete from 1941–45. He has lived for most of his life in Peel Forest, where he continues to paint.