Marika Jones

Dunedin born Marika Jones has a Bachelor in Visual Arts from Elam, University of Auckland and Northtec New Zealand. Marika has had a long successful career as a working artist starting in 2000 gaining representation throughout Australia and the UK. After a 10 year painting hiatus to pursue other life commitments Marika has returned to her painting practice in 2021, initially to aid her recovery from back surgery and ultimately reigniting her passion to paint.

These works are commentaries on life’s journey and acted as spiritual anchors during Marika’s recovery. “I was overwhelmed with fear after surgery and painting gave me the focus I needed to calm my mind and soul. They were the nourishment I needed to get through.”

The bowl grounded in the landscape is a representation of the self - with life’s experiences floating around the picture plane - filling up, draining out, letting go and getting stuck. Layer upon layer of paint is built up hiding whole paintings underneath, being revealed again or just poking through in parts. The dots - goosebumps covering the surface of something felt but not seen.

“Art is a spiritual hunger for me, a nourishment of my soul to express a lifetime of fears, doubts, hopes and joys. I feel like I’m home when I paint”.