I was interested to see these two beautiful paintings of the Homestead Garden at Fine Arts Gallery in Taupo Quay recently. The artist is Frances Sim-Higgins. Many of us will have seen previous artworks of landscapes by Frances, including such themes as Rotokawau/Virginia Lake. When discussing the paintings with Frances, she commented that when she painted the gazebo in the Garden (see below), as she had done some years earlier, she was actually painting a different structure! The previous one became rickety and was replaced by the Council. I suggest that you drop into the gallery (you can go through from Renata’s Art and Framing in Moutoa Quay), and enjoy Frances’ works, along with the other beautiful
artworks!

Frances Sim-Higgins

My name is Frances Sim-Higgins. I am a painter and a ceramist. I work from my studio at Ian Higgins Poultry Farm in Rapanui Road. I painted these two pictures of two different areas of the Bason Botanic Garden for an exhibition entitled Whanganui Now, currently showing at the Fine Arts gallery, 17 Taupo Quay, Whanganui.

I chose the Bason Botanic Gardens as my subject as I particularly like painting gardens and flowers. I have been a gardener since the age of four and have worked as a professional gardener both here and in the United Kingdom. The Bason Botanical Gardens are I think, quite wonderful. Whanganui is very fortunate to have such an asset. This is not the first time I have chosen the gardens as my subject. I first painted them in my final year at art school and the gazebo was also the subject of one of the paintings. For these paintings I took the liberty of adding more flowering plants because when I took the photographs to work from, the flowering season was almost over, and I needed more colour than what was available. I often paint my own garden and am always aware that while I am happily painting, the weeds are very happily growing! One of the advantages of a painted garden is that there is not a weed to be seen.