Nigel Buxton trained at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London. In 1981 he moved to New Zealand and is based in Christchurch. The most persistent theme in Nigel Buxton’s work and one that has engaged him for thirty years is ‘still life’ or ‘interior’. In 1997 his interest in music provided a new subject, using the musical scores of operas he created imaginative works, which dealt with emotive themes in an abstract yet lyrical way. More recently he has been working with drawn over digital collages. In 1995 Buxton was awarded first prize in the Cranleigh Barton Drawing Award and in the same year was a finalist in the Wallace Art Award. His work is included in the Christchurch Art Gallery and Wallace Collections.

 

Willow features a recently completed series of works based on willow trees situated on a farm in South Canterbury. The exhibition includes drawings done some 30 years ago and more recent works using a collaged photographic montage approach incorporating oil and chalk pastel. A number of these works are close to the actual size of the tree trunks. This is Buxton’s third exhibition at the Eastern Southland Gallery.