Christian Nicolson NZ contemporary installation artist, modern expressionist painter, giant headland sculpture, toitoi harbour installation, childrens stories, new zealand icons, cheeky abstract painter ,

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The Promenade, 162 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand
Ph: +64 9 4456665 Cell: +64 021 577078 Email: art@artbythesea.co.nz

'once upon a time'

Landscapes by
Christian Nicolson
Exhibition December 8 - 16

Christian Nicolson has always been one to push the creative envelope. A free spirit from an early age, Christian has challenged conventional arts practice and theory by refusing to conform to what is expected of an artist living and working in New Zealand. Perhaps it is because of this rebelliousness that his works continue to appeal to young and old, corporate and household. This is a short pop-up exhibition showcasing Christian's love of, and proficiency at , painting the landscapes of his home country New Zealand.
'The name of the exhibition is 'once upon a time'. It is essentially a landscape exhibition of painting from my area. My stomping ground. I could go a bit further as I am often up the far north but I chose the greater Auckland and the Coromadel. Each place has it's history and stories that go with it. And has it's place in the journey of my life to date.'

This exhibition is a pop-up show and it closes on Sunday December 16 at 5pm.


Mangawhai Hills 'Mangawhai Bar used to be the most amazing left hander... before Cyclone Bola in 1987. Now it's a pretty good right. But I don't go there much anymore. Too many people in baches that are much bigger than my house.' Acrylic on Board (framed) Size: 190cm x 100cm Sold Enquire Now

Come Play in the River - Piha Landscape 'Piha was and still is an awesome place to explore and play as kids. I spent hours and days there waiting for Paul to come in from the surf. Hoping for the elusive ice block treat. My brother Jess had spent so much time there on his own that he knew the shop people by name and sometimes could swindle some free lollies. The river, the rock, the dunes were all places for adventure on the hot, hot black sand.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 240cm x 120cm Price: $9800 Enquire Now Sold

No one saw my Nudey run, but I did - Pakiri Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 240cm x 120cm Price: $9800 Enquire Now

The banks are looking good - Pakiri Acrylic on Board (framed) Size: 120cm x 80cm Sold Enquire Now

Omaha 'The break at Ti Point was one of the best in the country - until they built the groin. That's progress. Ahh life before baches.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish(framed) Size: 240cm x 120cm $9800 Enquire Now Sold

I went to the beach with Batman and Robin 'So I went to Los Angeles and when I went to the beach I was surprised to see nobody famous there. What's the story. I imagine it was different in the 60s maybe.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 155cm x 82cm Enquire Now Sold

Karekare 1 'I had a picnic here with a friend and determined to impress I decided to put the breadmaker on and have fresh bread when we got there. I half cooked it then brought it into my car and plugged it in to my trusty power converter. Well the thought was there. I didn't cook the bread, instead just blew a fuse. But you have to try these things sometimes and now I know. A breadmaker won't work inside a car. And so also do you. We had a nice picnic all the same.' Acrylic on Board (framed) Size: 120cm x 120cm $7500 Enquire Now Sold

Waiake 'I love Waiake beach. It is one of the coolest beaches in the world. I was down here with or without my friends and parents from the age of 6. Things were a bit looser in those days and a kid learned the rules faster than they do now. But beware. To try to tackle the island (sugarloaf we called it) was a very treacherous activity. I remember being stuck half way up, half way down for 25 minutes unable to move at all. I eventually did but now days they have a rope and it's quite easy to get up. Another piece of advice. If you decide to go up the island and partake in romantic activities thinking you are well out of everyones reach. Pull the rope up first or you may get caught by three merry teenagers looking for a view. Just saying'. Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 120cm x 90cm $4500 Sold Enquire Now

Hot Water Beach 1- Coromandel When I was a boy I went on a holiday to Hotwater beach with my dad. We free camped in the middle carpark with a few other people and surfed everyday. It was awesome. When Paul was 15 Grandad dropped him and duncan off to camp for a couple of weeks. They surfed everyday and crawled back to their campsite at night. He likes to tell of the girl that lured him back to her tent one night. She had her own car, a Mark 1 Zephir and was three years older. But when grandad got a look at that mark 1 Zephir he put a stop to it straight away. Poor Paul. I myself returned when I was old enough to drive on my own surfing holiday. We free camped near the beach and got some awesome waves. The great thing about hotwater beach is that you can have a surf then go relax in the hot pools and relax and watch the waves. There is no where else like it. Only now the campsite is gone, free camping is a no no and the pools are inundated with busloads of tourists each day. The southern end is lined with baches and there is a flash cafe or two close by. Yet despite this it still remains one of my favourite beaches in the world. Doc own most of the beach so that remains untouched and its easy to get away from the crowd. In fact its pretty easy to be by yourself there most days. Unless you want to chat to a tourist at low tide. I quite enjoy the throng of people and it means I don't have to dig my own hole. I just wait till someone leaves and jump into theirs. And talking to Germans in bikinis is not really that much of a bummer. Infact I quite enjoy it. Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 122cm x 90cm $5850 Sold Enquire Now

A lone walk Opoutere 'I don't think I have ever had an awesome surf at Opoutere but its still a lovely place to go surfing. It remains relatively unchanged over the years except you used to be able to free camp in the car park. To get to the beach you have to walk a good 10 minutes through the pine trees to see the ocean. When you do, you will often find you are the only ones there. It's a beautiful beach. Just beautiful. Although I may well have been the one running into the water with my surfboard at this point in time I am infact seen way in the background running naked into the waves. It's good to get 'cheeky' when the mood takes you. I love a good nudey run.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 120cm x 80cm $4200 Sold Enquire Now

Friday night after school - Te Arai 'I have a specific memory of an evening after school on a Friday surfing well on a right hander at Te Arai point. The surf was a nice crisp 3-4 foot and offshore and the sun gently dripped down bedding heavy behind (I borrowed that from a Duran Duran song) leaving that beautiful pink (not seen here) in the sky which you get on the east coast sunset. I have surfed there many times and made many after school trips when I was growing up but there is always one memory that sums it all up. Those seemed to be the days when I had the space in my head to just hang out and go surfing all day only to do the same again the next. Ahh what a dream.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 224cm x 94cm Price: $9800 Enquire Now Sold

Lion Rock - Piha 'I love Piha. I would really love to have a bach there. My parents were going to buy a house here. It was an old one that overlooked the beach, a minutes walk from the water with a massive section. But they didn't. Imagine what that would be worth now. And imagine how good at surfing I would be.' Acrylic on Board (framed) Size: 240cm x 120cm $9800 Sold Enquire Now

I lost my Moa in the bush - Karekare 'It is believed that dinosaurs still exist in a small pocket in the bush surrounding Karekare. Or so I am told. Not far from here is Karekare falls. I was filming a scene in a movie here and wanted to drop a dummy off the top of the waterfall. I went on a mission in the bush dragging a heavy dummy followed by a German woofer. I lost the woofer and continued on alone, following the river downstream to what I was sure would eventually lead me to the top of the falls. After nearly an hour and a series of ever larger cascades, I decided to abandon the mission, in favour of getting home in time for dinner. I could feel that otherwise I would end up on the 6 o'clock news having to be rescued by a helicopter. Luckily the German woofer was there waiting for me when I returned. The camera crew down the bottom were relived to see us too. We did shoot the scene but I found a different waterfall that was much easier to get to the top.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 249cm x 125cm $12,500 Enquire Now Sold

Storm Surfer 'Carefull not to swallow. I just love a good Takapuna stormy.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 55cm x 90cm $1800 Sold Enquire Now

An Evening at Hot Water Beach - Coromandel 'Hot Water beach is one of my favourite beaches in the world. Where else can you dig a bath in the sand and sit around chatting to half-naked people in the sun. Once I went there at night and jumped into a readymade hole someone else had dug. It was so awesome, sitting there under the stars having a beer in a hot bath on the beach.' Acrylic on Board plus resin finish (framed) Size: 126cm x 93.5cm Price: $4200 Enquire Now

Parked Up - checking the surf 'I could say this was about many things because to me it suggest many occasions. Driving to the beach the road is often long and dusty. As a kid i would be stiing in the back waiting for the journey to come to an end. Often car sick or hungry, the rides always seemed to go on for ever. Then when we did arrive this didn't mean we were going to stay. After bounding out of the car and attacking the sand dunes with wild abandon, we would often get reeled back in the wagon to go and check the next beach only to end up back where we started. We eventually settled and spent a fun time on the beach while my dad surfed. Then maybe on the way home we would check one last break at the lower tide. We were all paying the wind would change so we could get home to bed.Such is the nature of surfing. Thats how I grew up. Now my kids get the same. Haha.' Acrylic on Canvas plus resin finish (framed) Size: 79cm x 79cm $1200 Enquire Now Sold

Christian Nicolson
New Zealand Contemporary and Abstract artist, Pop artist

HOME ||| EXHIBITIONS||| ARTISTS ||| ABOUT |||CONTACT

The Promenade, 162 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand
Ph: +64 9 4456665 Cell: +64 021 577078 Email: art@artbythesea.co.nz