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A shared love of botanical art developed from different mediums has brought two artists together. Wellington artist Jo Luping and New Plymouth’s Rebecca Mooney have collaborated on Kina Gallery’s latest exhibition Stop, Enjoy the View.

Jo Luping’s jewellery was inspired by Vesch, a Russian word meaning a thing with a soul. Stark, heavily contrasted botanical images have been incorporated into each of the miniature works of art. An early form of photography called photograms has been used as the basis of the collection. 

The jewellery is made from 12K white gold leaf, hand soldered sterling silver and cold enamel. The pendants can be used on a range of sterling, glass and onyx necklaces. Pieces include necklaces, earrings, cufflinks and brooches.

Rebecca Mooney’s vivid paintings harness the energy and brilliant colour of our environment, and encourage us to pause and enjoy a different view or perspective.

Some of the work presented in this show marks a shift in Mooney’s work towards the use of organic outline: bold silhouettes contain her characteristic expressive strokes alluding to a notion of balance between chaos and order. Mooney states that these works are not so much about the shape of the silhouette, but rather about capturing movement and referencing it into the shape.

She says, “The quality of the paintwork IS the subject matter – not the shape itself”.

Rebecca explains the inspiration behind her latest work:

"I was recently in Wellington and while walking up a long and steep flight of steps leading to The Terrace I read some words written on one of the steps using masking tape: 'Stop, enjoy the view'. So I did. I stopped, raised my view from the steps, turned and viewed the city. I thought that was a thoughtful note. We often forget to pause, change our mindset and enjoy a different view or a different perspective."

Rebecca’s paintings are very sensual and capture moments in time that prompt our memories and experiences of nature. The colour, layers and heavy tactile strokes suggest the way one may feel and experience the environment, and encourages us to reconsider the way we view of our world.

Stop, enjoy the view is showing until 2 December, 2010