ONZM
Painter
Tip-toeing in the studio
Tip-toeing in the studio
by Simon Bowden, Arts Foundation Executive Director
Don Peebles was honoured with an Arts Foundation Icon Award in 2007. Soon after Don's acceptance and a few months before the public announcement of the Award, I visited Don and his wife Prue at their home in Christchurch.
The time I spent with Don and Prue is one of the highlights of my seven years at the Arts Foundation. One of the reasons the visit was special was the opportunity to experience the relationship between Don and Prue. The deep caring and love and respect they had for each other, was obvious from the moment I arrived.
Part of the reason for the visit was to take some photographs of Don. When photographer Ken Baker and I were given a tour of Don's studio we were both captured by his animated stories and his love of what he was doing. Ken was so inspired he asked if he could come back when Don was working and try and catch him in action. The images in this collection are the results of that photo session.
Being a musician that had not spent any time in an artist's studio I was amazed at the relationship Don had with his materials. While I was tip-toeing around works on the floor and standing back from it as if it was on a gallery wall, Don was walking right over some canvases, pulling things off walls, taking things apart and putting things back together.
I feel very lucky to have spent time in Don's studio and to have seen him and Prue together. These photos are a great memento of the trip; I hope you enjoy them too.
