Iconic Christchurch scenes at George exhibition

                                                      Media release – February 24, 2009

NZ’s top landscape artist Hannah Riden to show noted iconic Christchurch scenes at The George exhibition next week

Christchurch’s top award-winning landscape artist Hannah Riden will show typically iconic Christchurch scenes at The George (hotel) exhibition next week.

Her works will include Christ’s College, Cup day at Riccarton, Worcester Street and the Cathedral, the Port Hills, a typical suburban diary corner, New Brighton, punting the Avon, High Street, Hagley Park,  the Estuary, the CD brewery and Sol Square.

Riden was named the top landscape artist in New Zealand at the 2008 New Zealand Art Awards in Tauranga. This was a remarkable achievement for a young artist who had only been painting fulltime for three years. The award success at Tauranga has raised her status and her works are becoming significantly more sought after.

She painted an entire Christchurch series because she felt city people related more these days to their own environment rather than distant country scenes.

``City people lead busy lives and most people who see these works will be able to relate to them more than paintings of country landscapes. It’s been quite a challenge because there is much more detail and activity involved in capturing

Riden earned a bachelor's degree at Oxford University, gained her Masters at Edinburgh and was halfway through her PhD thesis on molecular biology at Massey in Palmerston North when she dropped all her studies to focus on her brushes, paints and canvass a few years ago.
 

She has been invited to become artist-in-residence at The George by the banks of the Avon on Hagley Park during the upcoming Ellerslie Flower Show.  Riden will begin residency at The George from Saturday week, March 7.

Jan Stuart, a spokeswoman for The George, said they are excited about the first Ellerslie flower show being held in Christchurch and they wanted to celebrate in style with art and flowers.

``Hannah painting scenes of Christchurch among the blend of flowers, park and our stunning hotel was a perfect way to share in the hype in the city for our guests and locals,’’ Stuart said.
 
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