Turning Patience Into Art
Tairua artist Tanya Finlayson loves doing things that take a long time! She loves the challenge. And the intricate art that she creates does demand patience, commitment and a lot of time. It also requires talent.
One example is the beautiful book she has created which is packed with delicate sketches of flowers. The inspiration for this time-consuming work was a book she read – The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, by Holly Ringland.
Tanya is dyslexic, so reading is not easy, but this book inspired her. “It’s about a girl who sees the secret language of flowers. I loved that idea and started researching the traditional aspects linked to certain blooms. I ended up learning a whole new skill,” she says as she relaxes on her sofa, surrounded by plants, vibrant art and her cute little Yorkshire Terrier, Echo. That book led to Tanya’s floral sketches and words, put together in a lovely work of art. The pages are water paper and she made the cover using American deer leather (which her mum had given her to make a pair of moccasins!).
So far her book features about 60 flowers, one for each of the pages. They include Buttercups. “Buttercups bring joy and I recall that as a child we would put one under a playmate’s chin and declare “You like butter!” Freesias are linked to innocence, lasting friendship and trust. I loved the saying that a friend is someone who overlooks your broken fence and admires your garden. Then there is Helenium, named after Helen of Troy and the legend that when she was abducted one of her tears fell and grew as this flower.
“We used to call Pansies ‘happy faces’ and I remember someone I loved who had a garden bursting with happy pansies. I have found learning about these flowers is like music – it can take you back to another time in your memory.”
Tanya has always loved arts, crafts and sewing. After leaving school, she did a three-year Diploma in Fashion and Textiles and wanted to do fashion illustration.
But as far as a job, it was not the right time. “I did the single mum thing and eventually worked as an artist with galleries and exhibitions.”
When her son Darrien was eight she moved to Tairua and then set up a sewing business in a bedroom.
“Tairua identities Brian Cullen and Rob French taught me a lot about industrial machines, making boat covers and so on, and my business grew.”
Meanwhile she continued with her art.
Tanya has an eclectic range of art, including lovely sketches of birds and animals.
She loves the simplicity of working in black and white and this is effective in her works Knight Templar and Guitar Player.
Curious about how to sketch droplets of water, she worked on a moving sketch of a young soldier.
Tanya enjoys being part of Tairua Art Group and her work was in their recent exhibition. She says the group has diverse talents and is very supportive. “There’s so many interesting and talented people here and around the Coromandel.”
She is not shy of doing renovations, having worked on two camper vans while in Tairua. She recently bought a house in Tairua and looks forward to the new challenge of creating a home of her own.
You can contact Tanya at: tairuasewingservice@gmail.com
Words by Pamela Ferla
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