Sam Currie

Sam is a self taught Christchurch based artist who paints abstract paintings on board. He was born in the UK in the late 1980’s, and moved to New Zealand in the early 2000’s. His preferred medium is oil based enamel which creates a surface of vivid rich colours and dynamic contrasting sheens. His main methodology is to use a controlled drip technique that allows for the element of chance to interact with disciplined paint handling, giving special attention to both the colour contrasts and overall surface composition. Sam has been experimenting with a variety of paint methods over the past few years and has settled on this style of practice due to its strength of visual impact coupled with a straight-forward unfussy use of a material that is not often seen in the fine arts world. He takes his inspiration from both the American and European mid century modernist painters, in particular looking at the colour theory and methodology of the great modernist art educator Hans Hoffman, who taught such art luminaries as Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler.