Each week on a Friday afternoon I look forward to our local auction house Maiden’s and Fosters weekly Facebook photo album of upcoming lots. Usually scouting for tools for the workshop or cool Mid Century furniture that might need a new home, this week however a piece of art caught my eye and so in I went for a closer look.
The work is ‘Motueka River Valley Scene’ by semi-known NZ Artist Olive Beken b. 1897. who painted a number of NZ landscapes with oil and watercolours over her lifetime.
What especially drew me to this painting was both the soft autumn light and lovely balanced composition of an idyllic New Zealand river & mountain scene, complete with angler and son casting off the rocks bottom right.
After outbidding a few a low ballers I don’t think I did too bad for $50 (and would have paid more) - now hanging happily on the studio wall.
