Artist Statement
I gather ideas and inspiration from the natural environment of New Zealand: the trees, mountains, water, plants and flowers. My paintings strive to capture the wonders and mystery that surround us. I love using oils because of their strong colours. In addition, I use transparent colours as much as possible because they vibrate in the light. Combining brushstrokes with music in my head, I create my world on canvas.
My background is music. I have lived and breathed music all my life and painting is a second essential form of my creative process. The music and painting combine to bring me a sense not only of place but of calmness, joy, and peace. I paint landscapes that have an atmosphere and a presence, I feel excitement about a moment in time that calls to be grasped. Through my work I want to share that excitement and invite the viewer to use their own imagination and experiences to make meaning for themselves.
Painting en plein air while creating small oil sketches provides the essential material to paint on larger canvases in the studio. I must paint quickly outside if I want to capture the essence of a particular scene. As light changes in minutes, speed is important. I paint, make a few quick notes, and take photographs as well. This source material all comes together in the studio to act as reminders of fleeting moments experienced in the living world.
Biography
Carol Moffatt (QSO, MNZM) is a New Zealander living in Christchurch, New Zealand. She is an artist who loves to paint the remote South Island landscapes in oils. Music education was her first career, though she has always had the passion to paint. Her creative capabilities combine musical elements with colour and brushstrokes to create works of visual harmony.
In March 2026 Carol was accepted for a three week residency in France at the prestigious Chateau Orquevaux. This is a juried residency which accepts applications from nearly 500 applicants from over 30 countries. This experience has brought about some significant changes in confidence which, in turn, has led to her paintings becoming more transparent and a changing palette.
Throughout the years Carol has attended many workshops in both New Zealand and Australia with such luminaries as John Crump, Joseph Zubvic and Amanda Hyatt. She enjoys painting en plein air on small canvases and then develops these further on larger canvases in her studio. She has exhibited widely throughout New Zealand including Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Carol also supports local endeavours by taking part in exhibitions to raise funds.
Discover more at www.carolmoffatt.com, as well as Carol Moffatt Artist on both Instagram and Facebook
