Shelley Masters

SHELLEy masters

Hawke's Bay based painter Shelley Masters creates subdued drama out of commonplace subjects, layering them with poetic meaning and inviting narrative interpretation. Like the American realist painter Edward Hopper, Masters captures the private emotions of those caught unaware, be it in a moment of solitude, contemplation, hope, nostalgia, perhaps even despair. The artist's subjects express the modern disconnection we all experience, and whether the disconnection of his subjects is voluntary or imposed, is left for the viewer to decide.

It became very clear to Masters that many people have never acquired the essential life-skill of being alone. We are taught to be social animals, as part of a group or team – being at one with yourself hardly gets a mention. In a narrative sense, these paintings are about that moment when something changes. An ending, a beginning, a discovery.

Shelley Masters grew up in post-war Britain with all the economic and social change that brought. He trained in London as a designer and illustrator, worked in the theatre, then through the 70s and 80s as an award-winning graphic designer. Shelly has received commissions from many high-profile organisations including the British Museum, Royal Festival Hall, Pfizer, IBM, and the British government. Having moved to New Zealand in the early 2000s, he now paints full-time. His work can be found in collections across the UK, Europe and New Zealand.