Artist Profile:

Geoff Williams

As an artist Geoff is motivated by the pure pleasure and the constant challenges of painting. By offering an alternative presentation of the recognisable his intention is to provoke an emotional response.

For Geoff, the success of a painting depends, not so much on the subject, but on how the viewer relates to it. With this in mind he tends to choose familiar, everyday subjects. His images become constructions of a moment passed, rather than fleeting snapshots. He paints what he knows and the end product, while autobiographical, is also the stuff of collaborative experience.

“I think one of the important functions of an artist is to extract an element of surprise from the everyday. My subjects are the local dairy, a petrol station or a fish and chip shop. The cars in my often paintings are mine or friends', and my props are often purchased from the local second hand dealer or supermarket.

As it should be in an ideal world... my father Doug had a profound influence on my development both as a person and an artist. His philosophy is simple - believe in yourself, do your best ,and always go that extra mile.

Dad wore his commitment on his sleeve. and was known as an innovator in the sign writing industry. In the seventies he had a vision for a mural on a client’s vehicle. While the cost couldn't be justified he managed to gather sponsors to share the financial load. The end result won many accolades and was an award winning New Zealand first.

Before retiring from his business to paint full-time he had amassed a formidable array of sign writing awards. This was no mean feat in an era when handwriting was the order of the day and there were no 'quick fix' computer technicians. I am immensely proud of my father's achievements and have been influenced by him in my own work. ”