Hagley Oval, the Cello Basin Reserve and Seddon Park are set to join an elite list of sporting venues to be painted live by renowned British artist Andy Brown.
Brown has arrived in New Zealand on his first tour of the country to follow the eagerly anticipated Tegel Test series between the BLACKCAPS and England, which gets underway at Hagley Oval tomorrow.
From Lord’s and Old Trafford in England, to Kensington Oval in Barbados and Yankees Stadium in New York – Brown has travelled the world for the past decade painting live sport in venues, capturing in his unique impressionist style, the action, drama, history and atmosphere of events as they unfold.
His work has received worldwide recognition from Buckingham Palace to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York, and has been the subject for several books he has published.
Brown aims to paint a canvas each day of the upcoming Test series, with his art often purchased or procured by the venues in which he paints, or snapped up by keen cricket fans and collectors.
Brown said it was a dream come true to make it New Zealand for the historic Test series.
“To be here to paint such a historic fixture really is something very special to me,” Brown said on arrival in Christchurch.
“I’m very excited to capture the beauty of New Zealand and its strong sporting culture on canvas. It’s an honour to be behind the easel bringing what I do to this part of the world.
“This year I’ve captured many historic events including Jimmy Anderson’s 700th wicket in Dharamshala and his final wicket at Lords this summer, along with India winning the T20 world cup in the West Indies.
“This series is sure to bring many more memorable moments which I can immortalise in paint.”
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Photo Credit: New Zealand Cricket
