James Dignan - Art 2006

Last updated September 26th 2007

Dunedin skyline - Dalmore
Acrylic/canvas. 9 x 6 cm (3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in).
January 2006.
Sold.
From my largest painting yet (Another day on Earth) to another miniature. This shows the old convent at Dalmore, on the lower slopes of Pine Hill, Dunedin.

Harbour dawn
Acrylic/canvas. 9 x 6 cm (3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in).
January 2006.
Sold.
Another miniature; Dawn on the Otago Harbour, looking towards Harbour Cone on the Otago Peninsula from St. Leonard's.

The sentinel
Acrylic/canvas. 24 x 33 cm (9 1/2 x 13 in).
January 2006.
Walking through South Dunedin one day last year, I felt I was being watched... This picture was difficult because of the range of colours used - the switch between blues and cyans, and also the delicate difference between the feline red-browns and the fleshy grey-browns of the curtains.

Across the tracks
Acrylic/canvas. 101 x 84 cm (40 x 33 in).
February 2006.
Three people walk home from work across the footbridge at Dunedin Railway Station. The Kinks' song Waterloo Sunset was in my mind as I painted this - hopefully some of the same feeling of wistfulness found in an industrial setting comes across in this picture.

Loneliness
Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 76 cm (20 x 30 in).
February 2006.
Sold.
A man sits with his head in his hands outside Dunedin Public Library. Behind him a young couple chat. An obvious subject for a photograph that became a "splattered-background" piece, more or less complementary to 2004's Melancholia.

Martha my dear
Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (20 x 23 1/2 in).
March 2006.
Another driftnetted goth and a "hot" partner to the "cool" Walküre from 2003. This was finished less than a week before my third solo exhibition, for which it was the 27th and final painting.

The heart of the city
Acrylic/canvas. 51 x 51 cm (20 x 20 in).
April 2006.
One of my favourite subjects for paintings, the Exchange area of Dunedin. This time, the view is looking across Queen's Gardens towards the harbour from the top of the steps painted in 2004's Transition zone 1.

The driven snow
Acrylic/canvas. 30 x 30 cm (12 x 12 in).
May 2006.
A composite of scenery in Central Otago and an image of Colorado found on the web.

Rainy day woman no. 12
Acrylic/canvas. 15 x 30 cm (6 x 12 in).
June 2006.
Another driftnetted portrait, this time cropped tightly. A smaller work, this was painted quickly to enter in a competition.

Madonna of the Gardens
Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (20 x 23 1/2 in).
August 2006.
Sold.
A snapshot of a young mother and her infant by the duck pond in the Dunedin Botanic Gardens. As I painted, a faint halo developed around the mother's head - after which, the title became obvious.

Nga rua tapu
Acrylic/canvas. 76 x 38 cm (30 x 15 in).
September 2006.
A view from the North Otago town of Palmerston. The title is Maori for "The two sacred places", and refers to the war memorial and the hill of Puketapu ("Sacred Hill"), on which sits a memorial to early New Zealand politician Sir John McKenzie.

	Dunedin skyline - Dalmore Acrylic/canvas. 9 x 6 cm (3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in). January 2006. Sold. From my largest painting yet (Another day on Earth) to another miniature. This shows the old convent at Dalmore, on the lower slopes of Pine Hill, Dunedin.
	Harbour dawn Acrylic/canvas. 9 x 6 cm (3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in). January 2006. Sold. Another miniature; Dawn on the Otago Harbour, looking towards Harbour Cone on the Otago Peninsula from St. Leonard's.
	The sentinel Acrylic/canvas. 24 x 33 cm (9 1/2 x 13 in). January 2006. Walking through South Dunedin one day last year, I felt I was being watched... This picture was difficult because of the range of colours used - the switch between blues and cyans, and also the delicate difference between the feline red-browns and the fleshy grey-browns of the curtains.
	Across the tracks Acrylic/canvas. 101 x 84 cm (40 x 33 in). February 2006. Three people walk home from work across the footbridge at Dunedin Railway Station. The Kinks' song Waterloo Sunset was in my mind as I painted this - hopefully some of the same feeling of wistfulness found in an industrial setting comes across in this picture.
	Loneliness Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 76 cm (20 x 30 in). February 2006. Sold. A man sits with his head in his hands outside Dunedin Public Library. Behind him a young couple chat. An obvious subject for a photograph that became a "splattered-background" piece, more or less complementary to 2004's Melancholia.
	Martha my dear Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (20 x 23 1/2 in). March 2006. Another driftnetted goth and a "hot" partner to the "cool" Walküre from 2003. This was finished less than a week before my third solo exhibition, for which it was the 27th and final painting.
	The heart of the city Acrylic/canvas. 51 x 51 cm (20 x 20 in). April 2006. One of my favourite subjects for paintings, the Exchange area of Dunedin. This time, the view is looking across Queen's Gardens towards the harbour from the top of the steps painted in 2004's Transition zone 1.
	The driven snow Acrylic/canvas. 30 x 30 cm (12 x 12 in). May 2006. A composite of scenery in Central Otago and an image of Colorado found on the web.
	Rainy day woman no. 12 Acrylic/canvas. 15 x 30 cm (6 x 12 in). June 2006. Another driftnetted portrait, this time cropped tightly. A smaller work, this was painted quickly to enter in a competition.
	Madonna of the Gardens Acrylic/canvas. 50 x 60 cm (20 x 23 1/2 in). August 2006. Sold. A snapshot of a young mother and her infant by the duck pond in the Dunedin Botanic Gardens. As I painted, a faint halo developed around the mother's head - after which, the title became obvious.
	Nga rua tapu Acrylic/canvas. 76 x 38 cm (30 x 15 in). September 2006. A view from the North Otago town of Palmerston. The title is Maori for "The two sacred places", and refers to the war memorial and the hill of Puketapu ("Sacred Hill"), on which sits a memorial to early New Zealand politician Sir John McKenzie.