Renowned as one of the country's leading landscape artists, Bill Burke’s award-winning oil paintings grace the homes and businesses of many walls across the world. Humble and patient, and at his happiest in his studio, Bill’s career as an artist began with pen and ink in 1979, with the drawing of the historic buildings around Wellington and Nelson, and at the age of 19 he held his first exhibition as a Nelson artist. With a passion and focus on drawing and painting, Bill says he came into his own in the early 90s with his outstanding drafting skills forming the basis of his ascent into watercolours. Now painting in oils, Bill describes his method as a process often taking many weeks to complete. “It’s where I work things out – composition, lighting and perspective. I start with a pencil outline of the landscape before going over it with blue paint, as the image starts to take shape and fill out, prior to painting in the more detailed form.”
His gallery is located sitting serenely on Ajax Avenue looking out along the banks of the Maitai River. Filled with stunning portraiture, iconic landscapes, maritime scenes, and vivid botanicals, Bill Burke’s gallery and studio perfectly showcase his extremely polished technical skills and careful attention to detail in fine art, and his crafting skills as an experienced picture framer. “As a young man I first began my journey into art with pen and ink drawings that I exhibited at Chez Eelco. For me it has always come down to the drawing – I’ve spent decades at it.”
Currently in the process of completing two oil paintings of Lindis Pass, Bill says the deep south is a fascinating subject. “The way the light and shadows fall at different times of the day, and the vast seasonal differences, it is simply magic and wonderful to capture.”
Entering his incredible portraiture of Peter Yealands into the prestigious biennial Adam Portraiture Award 2022, Bill was chosen as one of a group of 45 finalists out of 351 entries. Exhibited at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata in Wellington, his artwork is now part of the awards touring exhibition.
