Exhibitions
Bio
Rosemary Parcell is an established New Zealand fine artist from Tarras, Central Otago, now based in Auckland. Rosemary’s fine art background in still life and figure drawing coupled with her passion for horse riding has translated into a very contemporary version of the horse. While she has painted equestrian horses, Rosemary has a particular interest in the discipline of dressage.
What I have always wanted to express in this imagery is the definition of the weight and mass of the horse, as well as the power and elegance in articulation. This is so clearly seen in dressage, itself an art form based on both physical and visual aesthetics. Dressage enhances the way a horse moves naturally, and at its best shows full harmony between horse and rider; horse and rider become a single entity. My intention is that my paintings should celebrate the athleticism and eloquence of this discipline, which demands a monumental approach, with simplicity and scale.
Rosemary’s paintings demonstrate her attention to structural detail and composition. At the same time, she is adept at translating the movement of the horse, especially in those paintings putting greater emphasis on the choreography of dressage.
…the point is to catch the intrinsic quality of the movement… not always technically correct, and mostly not evident in photo records ...which is why it is better to watch and draw, better to remember and construct, rather than to copy minutely from photos, because this best expresses the way the horse actually goes.
Rosemary deliberately paints little of the riders to ensure that the focus is on the horse. As she says herself, “…if the rider is very capable s/he becomes invisible, and the horse appears to go miraculously of its own volition without evident direction, and really the rider is identifiable by their hands and seat alone, their position… it is then possible to imagine the rider to be anyone, even one's own self.”
Graduating with a degree from the University of Auckland’s Ilam Art School, Rosemary has painted and exhibited regularly since 1975. She has taught Art and Art History in secondary schools in Dunedin, Gisborne, Auckland, and Melbourne in Australia. Her paintings are in private collections across the country.