Charette Van Eekelen

I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and grew up in New York City. My move to Christchurch was from New England in 2005.

One of the first places I saw, shortly after I arrived in New Zealand, was Godley Head pushing out into the ocean with its different textures from raw volcanic cliff faces to rolling pasture, the contradiction and composition in nature captivated me. From that very first experience, I have loved Banks Peninsula and its environs.

My background as an artist is with painting and sculpture, primarily making abstract oil paintings, watercolour landscapes, and figurative and abstract large sculpture. Over the last 5 years fabric, textiles, thread and other materials have replaced paint and sculpture.

In May 2022, I began the Masters of Fine Art Program at University of Canterbury. As part of my study, I research art and objects that have influenced me over my life, along with using appliqué, free-style sewing, and paint to create a new variation to existing work.

Everyone can relate to fabric. From our beginnings, we are swaddled in soft fabric, we wear clothes and recognise various connotations of textures and fabrics. Fabrics are signifiers of class, attitude and are statements in themselves.

In my work I elaborate and alter its meaning in where and how the fabric and materials are applied, playing around with colour and form along the way.

I see the Governors Bay Jetty as part of the fabric of the landscape, and that it connects the land and the water. It is in a way what weaves the two together. I am happy to be able to contribute to this loved structure and wonderful local event.

To see Charrette’s work, go to https://ocula.com/artists/charrette-van-eekelen/