A Talk by Dean Buchanan

Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) Art Gallery Christchurch is currently exhibiting “Horizons”, Oil Painting by New Zealand North Island Artist Dean Buchanan and has gained attention by the Friends of Art Gallery. With the right conditions, Dean has given a talk on 16 June where around 70 participants attended.

FGY NZ curator Abbess Venerable Manshin opened the talk by introducing the artist and in the same time was inspired by his work in showing NZ’s natural scenery in a unique abstract painting method. Dean then thanked the curator in letting him exhibit his artwork at both the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery in Auckland and Christchurch. He also hopes that after this talk, everyone would know his discipline in art and how clearly it is he work through his art. To get more inspiration, the artist traveled through the famous landscapes of New Zealand and printed them in his mind. In order to watch the horizon further, he often went hiking on the mountains of NZ, which in course make him physically stronger and countless inspiring thoughts came into his mind.

In the talk, the audience asked various questions such as the length of time for an artwork to complete, his meaning of life, his attitude towards art and so on where Dean answered all of them. In completing an artwork, it may take somewhere around three months, after focusing around 10 hours per day and sometimes breaks in between waiting for the oil to dry. After hiking on to Mount Cook, he was able to paint his own inspiration on canvas. In the absence of painting, he likes to ride on his bicycle, and could get countless inspiration by traveling, even hundreds of kilometers out of Auckland.

He encourages young artists to adhere to their own artistic creations and not to be afraid of failure. They must enhance their experience and face life with not just materialism but strive to develop their own artistic values. He then also admired the temple in providing a platform for NZ artist to exhibit their work.

The Abbess thanked Dean for coming into sharing his life experience and work at the FGY Art Gallery Christchurch. He hopes that these work will add vibrant to Christchurch. After the talk, Dean gave signatures to those who purchase his book which has his collections and two of his artwork were purchased on the same day.