Featured Artist Lazarus Hunt

New Zealand artist Lazarus Hunt presents a masterful collection of classic still life and floral paintings. Enjoy his work and visit his website to see more.

 

 

I’ve had a long journey with art, and my style has evolved over time. At first, I was drawn to the Impressionists, especially their bright colors and the way they painted quickly and boldly, almost as if they were capturing the world right in front of them.

 

 

I really enjoy painting alla prima, which means painting directly onto the canvas while the paint is still wet. It creates a rich, textured feel. I love seeing every brushstroke in the final piece, especially when I paint portraits of my Olde English roses.

 

 

But about 30 years ago, something changed. I saw a stunning early portrait by Rembrandt and a still life by Van Aelst. Suddenly I was hooked on classical realism—painting in a way that tries to capture the world with as much detail and precision as possible.

 

 

I started traveling and studying the works of the old masters, copying their paintings to learn their techniques. I even worked with two world-renowned artists trained in Florence to deepen my understanding.

 

 

Working mostly with oils allows me to create the depth and subtle light effects that I admire in classical art. I use a variety of mediums to achieve that rich, glowing finish, similar to what the great artists of the past achieved.

 

 

Over the years, my skill has led to many commissions, including painting portraits for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. A lot of my work focuses on light and shadow, inspired by a technique called chiaroscuro, which is all about the dramatic contrast between light and dark.

 

 

When setting up my paintings, I also use something called sacred geometry, especially the Golden Mean. I position key elements in a way that feels balanced and pleasing. I’m deeply passionate about beauty and aim to capture fleeting moments in time, whether it’s the way light hits a subject or the beauty of a collection of objects. Many of the things I’ve collected over the years, like antique items, often make their way into my work.

 

 

For example, during lockdown, I created a series of seven paintings featuring vintage music-related objects that I’ve gathered over the years, arranged around violins as the centrepiece of each artwork. Each painting was like an experiment in composition, a way for me to celebrate the beauty I see in the items I have been collecting. I especially love the old leather bound books, music sheets , and coloured glass inkwells.

 

 

Since I live by the ocean I love incorporating seashells in my paintings. My wife’s lifetime commitment to bird rescue has been a great inspiration to paint our native birds, which are unique to New Zealand.

 

 

Ultimately, my goal is not to answer big questions but to capture attention and inspire the viewer. I don’t aim for photorealism, but rather for a classical yet modern approach. If someone walks away from my work feeling moved and inspired, then I’ve achieved what I set out to do.

 

Lazarus Hunt invites you to follow on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

 

 

Want to stay current on cutting edge business articles from Artsy Shark, plus artist features, and an invitation to the next Call for Artists? Click below to sign up for our twice-monthly email. You’ll get all this plus opportunities and special offers that you can’t get anywhere else!