Frank Gordon was born in Glasgow in 1967. He came to New Zealand in 2000 and immediately fell in love with Dunedin, its harbour, hills and natural wonders.

Gordon has drawn and painted all of his life. He has been inspired by picture books and stories as this was the only type of art he was exposed to. Growing up, Gordon found inspiration through picture books and stories, which led him to create his illustrative and colourful art today.

”I’m still inspired by stories. Some that I read or hear about, some that I makeup and some that emerge as I delve into a painting. Often then the paintings will have their own story, inspired by the landscape and people and creatures that inhabit the scene. There is always whimsy, some comedy, tragedy, drama and all within a landscape of forests, mountains or gardens.”

He is inspired now by old masters as well as modernist painters and illustrators like Bruegel and Bosch and the worlds they created.

”I try to paint every day. Painting and drawing for me is a compulsion, almost some sort of wonderful affliction that I can’t remedy.”