Pat Henley is an artist living in Muriwai, on the West Coast of Auckland, New Zealand. Her captivating paintings are inspired by the dramatic west coast elemental energy found at Muriwai. She explores the relationship with this ever-changing environment in her expressive and vivid paintings.

She has also drawn inspiration from places as disparate as the Navajo Desert Canyons (Arizona, USA) and Antarctica. Yet these contrasting land form share a simplicity that reflect water and wind as the master carvers. Pat is also inspired by the connections between earth and us and between us and one another.

In her studio, on the cliff top above Muriwai, Pat creates paintings, born from her passion for colour and movement. Pat's most recent artistic exploration is the human form. Capturing moods, movement, emotion, the seen and the unseen.

Upcoming Exhibition - Opening August 5th

"Selves" Series (in the exhibition)

I have made quite a departure in painting this series of 'Selves', as I have left behind the wildness and natural beauty of the Muriwai environment, for inward - looking Faces. Painting with acrylic inks on dampened surfaces with their spreading qualities, is so suited to express the energy of where I live, and to my great delight it is fun for depicting faces too.

My interest is in using many colours to express what is conveyed in a glance. How are different colours interpreted by the viewer? I extend an invitation for you to feel the connections made by exchanging glances. And I hope they express too the energy and intensity that is part of living at Muriwai.