Prolific retiree paints himself into a corner

Retired naval architect and university lecturer Bevan Lawrence has always liked painting though he only went into oil art at the end of last year.

“Due to my age back then at secondary school I was required to do engineering and animal studies, and whilst I could do technical drawing no art was allowed,” relates Bevan who drew portraits in his maths book some pages ahead of where he was working.

“Eventually, of course, the math lesson caught up to the pages and the teacher gave my drawings a 10/10 – much better than my math mark.”

The past saw him as a freelance artist and an art director for an advertising agency and director of promotions for music artists such a Cliff Richard and Barry McGuire of the Mamas and Papas.

A former Aucklander, Bevan found himself a small fish in a big pool but having now become a permanent resident at Mangawhai Heads he has joined the Mangawhai Arts Group and will join Dargaville rural artist Pauline Gough in a joint exhibition at the Mangawhai Art Centre running from October 26 to November 8.

Pauline’s ‘Colours and Textures’ theme is expected to complement Bevan’s art ‘Umbrellas’, so titled as all of his pieces have an umbrella in them.

Quite a prolific painter, Bevan manages to complete a significant work every fortnight despite dealing with osteoarthritis when he is often in pain and has little feeling in his hands.

“I’ve painted myself into a corner,” says Bevan who now has some 35 paintings never before shown including some fine art versions, an example being the Vermeer ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ but many which are expected to be attractive to the public.

In admitting art is subjective Bevan says: “Last year I criticised an art work, then found I was talking to the artist. Graciously the man said ‘Art is about creating emotion in people and it is well, for it has done its job.’”

n 'Colour, Textures and Umbrellas', Pauline Gough and Bevan Lawrence, Mangawhai Village Art Gallery, October 26 – November 8.

BUSY: Exhibiting artist Bevan Lawrence completes a significant work every few weeks.