Anna Stichbury
Through the Looking Glass
Oil on Canvas
830 x 830 mm
$3,200
Available
“In Through the Looking Glass, I was thinking about the act of reflection; not only seeing oneself, but looking back over time. The painting became a way for me to consider my relationship with the gallery and to celebrate that shared history.
The imagery is intentionally soft; misty, feminine, and dreamlike, like a fogged mirror where forms are present but not entirely clear. I was also drawn to the idea of looking through the looking glass (a small nod to Alice in Wonderland), where reflection becomes a threshold between what has been, the moment we are in now, and the creative possibilities still to come as we mark this 50-year milestone.” – Anna Stichbury
Artist Bio
Anna Stichbury is a contemporary New Zealand artist whose practice spans painting and installation, distinguished by her bold use of colour, layered textures, and dynamic mark-making. Working predominantly in large scale, Stichbury’s semi-abstract compositions envelop the viewer, creating immersive visual experiences that highlight the interplay between materiality and emotion. Her work explores the expressive potential of colour and surface, offering a tactile, immediate, and contemplative richness.
Stichbury approaches her practice as a colourist, often drawing inspiration from a particular hue that resonates with a deeper emotional or conceptual significance. Expanding on an immediate connection to a colour, an entire series of works frequently emerges from this intuitive affinity, exploring its potential across various subjects and abstract interpretations. Working primarily in acrylics on canvas and board, Stichbury builds richly textured surfaces through layers of gestural mark-making and thick, expressive paint applications. A distinctive palette of luminous blues, verdant greens, and myriad vibrant hues appears throughout her practice, echoing the natural world while evoking a sense of memory and inner landscape.