The Art of Fish > A Fish e-Business
Eric Heath at his Waikanae studio
MEDIA RELEASE 28.11.08
People/Arts & Culture/Business/Marine
The Art of Fish > A Fish e-Business
Natural history paintings by a somewhat forgotten yet iconic New Zealand artist are being officially offered from today
on a new online gallery. Fish Art Gallery, www.fishart.co.nz , launches on the 28th of November and has as its inaugural exhibition ‘Heath Remastered’, the New Zealand marine life paintings of Eric Heath, former editorial cartoonist at Wellingtons Dominion (Dompost) newspaper.
The exhibition is a presentation of approximately 400 of the nearly 900 marine life paintings by Heath produced between
1960 and 1988 for a series of books on New Zealand marine biodiversity. The launch date coincides with Eric Heath’s 85th
birthday.
Described as “the single most important collection of natural history marine life art in the history of New Zealand” by
Keith Cagney from Eikon Productions, the company behind the new website, “Eric’s marine life paintings were the first
produced in full colour, by a New Zealander for New Zealander’s, and we believe the collection to be the largest by any
one artist and in collaboration with Eric, using digital technology, we have recompiled the paintings into a series
prints including montages with up to 175 paintings forming sea creature such as a crab, seahorse or fish for example,
the resulting artwork having jewel-like qualities of colour depth and detail” says Cagney.
“We have tried to do a little more than simply be another online art store. We have gone to great lengths to tell the
story behind the artist, the art and broadly speaking, New Zealand marine culture” says Cagney, “for example, while
researching we found interesting facts such as; the first B.Sc. degree granted in New Zealand was given to a marine
biologist, Charles Chilton in 1887 by the first university in New Zealand, Otago, founded in November 1869”
“We researched and compiled a New Zealand marine industry website database which contains links approximately 1690
marine websites; we set up FISHTV channels via Youtube and created some New Zealand oceanic themed apparel brands while
we were at it, it was quite a task” he says.
“Most importantly though, we have done our best to create items that can be genuinely described as New Zealand
heirlooms, yet are very affordable. One of our goals is to foster greater awareness for our New Zealand marine life
legacy, and what better way to do that than through an artistic legacy, that of an authenticated Eric Heath marine life painting”.
Also;
• In his life, Eric Heath has produced a staggering number of multimedia artworks, sculptures, models & cartoons that reflect the many facets of life, society and the material world of New Zealand, and is without doubt a
cultural & heritage legacy to treasure.
• Eric Heath retired from the Dominion in 1993 after having produced 5 editorial cartoons a week for 28 years amounting
to an amazing 7000 or so cartoons;
• Eric Heath has produced illustrations for over 100 commissioned or collaborative books. The subject matter is diverse,
from the natural world, including fishes, birds, insects and ferns through to iconic images of ships and railway
engines, many of which played their part in the story of New Zealand.
• In 2003 Eric Heath was elected an Artist Member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts
• Fish Art Gallery has approximately 3000 prints that have been authenticated by Eric Heath.
Fish Art Gallery – www.fishart.co.nz - Live from 28th November 2008.
Note to editor: In the event, running this story in some shape or form will result in; A specially produced (we made 50) complementary
Plate 261 Seahorse Montage measuring 317 x 45mm on heavy-weight gloss photo paper, having been authenticated by Eric
Heath, been sent to a name and address of your choosing. If, in the event more than one person is deserved from within
the office, and be honest, we will do our up-most to accommodate the situation. Simply email me your details. Thank you. Keith Cagney
ENDS