Christine Taylor has lived in Kaikoura for the past 40 years and a strong connection to the land and the memories it contains motivates her work.

These memories have become even more poignant following the Kaikōura earthquake in 2016.  Some of the landscapes depicted her drawings have been altered forever, as the land simultaneously both uplifted and slipped. Places she knew well radically transformed; places she planned to visit disappeared off the map. This has bought to light an understanding of the temporal state of our existence – things you think are set in stone can disappear at a moment’s notice.

 

Taylor has a long-term fascination with maps, and an interest in how topographic contour lines both describe the landscape and provide direction.  In her drawings, the contour lines may match the topography.  At other times, they show different aspects of the view, reflecting her own shifting vantage point.

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Before the earthquake, Taylor had been drawing views of the mountains layered over map references, with her ball point pen – a trusty tool she has used all her life.  Following the earthquake, Taylor went in a new direction with materials and processes, while still retaining her compulsion to map the land. Now, she has come to explore drawing with materials associated with the rebuild: masking tape, drafting film, and black construction paper.

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These works represent time both before and after the earthquake. While different, they each create a personal memory of a moment in time. Taylor is both an observer of the landscape and someone situated within - both inside and outside the drawing.  

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Christine Taylor recently completed an advanced diploma in Art and Creativity through The Learning Connexion, Wellington. 

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View more of Christine's work on her website: www.christinetaylorartist.com