Tim Houghton Art as Journey

  • Home
  • Tim Houghton Art as Journey

Tim Houghton Art as Journey A Journey of Discovery...about colour, faith, culture and creative expression. And colour that stands out, strikes me full on, like a slap in the face.

I have loved painting since High School, when I first discovered the joy of expressing myself through art. This led to my going to art school, first in Wi******er, then Cardiff College of Art. I have always loved the creative process of expressing ideas, thoughts and feelings. The idea for a painting often begins while I am doing something quite mundane, on a walk, driving, listening to music. I a

llow the image to develop in my mind, sorting out colours and composition in my head, playing with different ideas and moving things around. Light inspires me, the light at a particular time of day, backlighting an old boat, a road, a flower. I am persistent. Very, very persistent! I want my paintings to be the absolute best they can be. I will work and re-work a painting until it is as good as I can get it—or I throw it away. (The process of tearing up a painting is actually very therapeutic and the catalyst for grabbing a brush and starting over on the same image, again and again, until I get it right). For the same reason, I use only professional quality paints and watercolour paper, lightfast pigments etc. - if I’m going to do something, I want to do it right. My idea of a perfect day is a supply of good quality watercolour paper or a clean white canvas, some great music, maybe a glass of wine…and unlimited time. Nobody comes into my studio while I am painting, it is my space, away from the stresses and worries of the world. I start with an idea of what the painting will look like…then step out on what I call “the journey”. I love exploring the boundary between abstract and figurative. I paint figuratively, about the things I see around me, but want my paintings to “live on the border of becoming abstract”.

On Saturday I went to Merit Award ceremony at the Mairangi Art Centre. Gemma Thomas, Store Manager at Gordon Harris art ...
27/08/2024

On Saturday I went to Merit Award ceremony at the Mairangi Art Centre.

Gemma Thomas, Store Manager at Gordon Harris art store in Albany handed out the wards.

My painting Night Road won a Merit Award (it’s the painting on the right behind us, but a bit hard to see!)

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On Saturday I went to Merit Award ceremony at the Mairangi Art Centre. Gemma Thomas, Store Manager at Gordon Harris art ...
27/08/2024

On Saturday I went to Merit Award ceremony at the Mairangi Art Centre.

Gemma Thomas, Store Manager at Gordon Harris art store in Albany handed out the wards.

My painting Night Road won a Merit Award (it’s the painting on the right behind us, but a bit hard to see!)

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Baradene Art Show 2024 starts this Friday night with a Gala! This is my second art show in the last few weeks here i...
19/08/2024

The Baradene Art Show 2024 starts this Friday night with a Gala!

This is my second art show in the last few weeks here in Auckland, New Zealand. I love the fact that it this one is also a fundraiser for a school. And that they take care of hanging the paintings and providing canapes, live music and champaign!

For a long time I pulled back from doing what was necessary to get my work noticed—like most of us I preferred to sit in my studio and paint!

And it does take hard work! It takes time and commitment to contact galleries and art shows, send the photos, complete the application forms, have the paintings framed, make sure everything has been taken care off, then to drive them to where they will be displayed and follow up on social media and then drive back to pick them up after the show!

But the alternative—and this is the reality for many artists I know—is to have paintings piling up in a dusty corner with nobody ever seeing them!

Tomorrow I deliver four paintings to Baradene...wish me good luck!!

My website: timhoughton.org

Just unpacked my prizes from winning the Merit Award in Painting at the Estuary Arts Centre here in New Zealand. Big sur...
04/08/2024

Just unpacked my prizes from winning the Merit Award in Painting at the Estuary Arts Centre here in New Zealand. Big surprise!!

• There was a $250 gift certificate from Gordon Harris, one of the best-known art supplies here.

• A $80 annual subscription to New Zealand Artist’s Magazine - an online magazine that I had looked at just a few days ago (!) and figured I should front up to join…but now I don’t have to! It looks like a really interesting magazine.

• But wait, there’s more…I get to have a featured article in the magazine!

• And a really nice gift from Blank Inspiration…a 60cm by 60 canvas, with its own Chilean pine wood frame. It looks so professional! The canvas comes out to paint on, then slips back in the frame for display, and it all fits into the shipping box - so I’m ready if I ever want to ship it in the future.
It a 58% cotton/42% linen blend and is double primed and hand stretched. That might be the way I go in the future!

So, all told…
$250 gift certificate
$115 canvas and frame
$80 subscription
That’s a total of $445! Yea, me!

04/08/2024

The Gala Night at MAGS (Mount Albert Grammar School’s annual art show) was fantastic.

They did such a great job hanging paintings from over 100 artists! Canapes, live music and champaign! I was so happy to sell one during the Gala evening (the stormy seascape) on the top, right.

The other four were up yesterday and today (Saturday and Sunday), and apparently lots of people come in over both days. Maybe too much to hope to sell more? Best of all were all the positive comments from people who really liked my work…left feeling very encouraged!

Such a good night…won the Merit Award in Painting at the Estuary Arts Centre, just north of Auckland, New Zealand. I was...
04/08/2024

Such a good night…won the Merit Award in Painting at the Estuary Arts Centre, just north of Auckland, New Zealand. I wasn’t able to attend, so my daughter went to receive the award on my behalf.

The entries were judged by Ingrid Boot, a well-known New Zealand artist - in this video she is discussing my painting.

It was for a watercolour I painted in 1981, soon after I first moved to California! Called, “The Old Garden Shed”, it was one of those paintings where everything “just fell into place” (as opposed to those that need to be wrestled and wrangled towards completion!

JUST TWO DAYS UNTIL I DROP OFF MY PAINTNGS AT THE MAGS ART SHOW!So excited about the Mount Albert Grammer School (MAGS) ...
23/07/2024

JUST TWO DAYS UNTIL I DROP OFF MY PAINTNGS AT THE MAGS ART SHOW!

So excited about the Mount Albert Grammer School (MAGS) Art Show here in Auckland, New Zealand! It’s getting really exciting! Come if you can!

Best of all, of any commission on sales of my work…

“10% will go directly to our Visual Arts Department, with the remaining 90% going towards the future MAGS Performing Arts & Culture Centre - which will enable collaboration amongst artists, arts groups, staff, students and the community. It will be a place of connection and foster a thriving performing arts culture for generations to come”.

JUST TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE OPENING GALA NIGHT!So excited to show five paintings at the Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) ...
19/07/2024

JUST TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE OPENING GALA NIGHT!

So excited to show five paintings at the Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) Art Show here in Auckland, New Zealand!

But this is where it gets really exciting!

The school says that of profits from the art show, “10% will go directly to our Visual Arts Department, with the remaining 90% going towards the design phase of the MAGS Performing Arts & Culture Centre.

The new center will enable collaboration amongst artists, arts groups, staff, students and the community. It will be a place of connection and foster a thriving performing arts culture for generations to come”.

I am happy to pay a commission on my work if it helps such a great project for young people!!

30/06/2024

I'm so glad I found this paper. It's the perfect watercolour block for travelling...fits "just right" into my shoulder bag (24 X 32 cms or 9.4 X 12.6 inches). Nicely textured paper that’s “surface sized” so that it's durable enough to lug around while on the move. I ordered it online via Artemiranda in Spain where it was waaaay cheaper than here in New Zealand!

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I NEED YOUR HELP! WHICH YELLOWS ARE THESE?Over the last several months I have spent a lot of time trying to find the bes...
19/06/2024

I NEED YOUR HELP! WHICH YELLOWS ARE THESE?

Over the last several months I have spent a lot of time trying to find the best cool yellow pigment for my 12-colour palette.

First, I settled on Benzimidazolone yellow (PY154), one of Bruce MacEvoy’s 40 top pigments. It’s a mid-yellow, almost a primary yellow.

But then I decided that I really wanted a cool (green) yellow rather than a mid-yellow.

I wondered if Green Gold (PY129) might be a better choice for my cool yellow. I spent two hours this morning swatching out my 12 colours with Green Gold. And was quite happy with it.

But then I discovered two other yellows on my palette -but I don’t know what they are!!
Let me explain; when a tube of paint hardens, I often cut it open with a Stanley knife and scrape out the colour. In these two cases I forgot to write down their names and pigment number.

The one on the left I know is Green Gold (PY129) – but what are the other two? To my eye, the yellow (on the right) is fantastic!! I actually prefer it to Green Gold.

On my palette:
The paint with the red circle is Green Gold.
The one in the middle with the blue circle is a Sienna-like colour in its dry form.
The third one, on the right, with the green circle is a dull green colour in dry form.
Does anyone recognize the other two pigments?
I would really appreciate your help!

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

09/06/2024

Find out what I took on a 3-month painting trip to Europe. It's super-important (in my experience) to travel light and not get burdened down with lots of excess paints and equipment. Especially if you are going to be hopping on and off buses and trains. Besides, let's be honest, how many painting supplies do you really need? Raffaele Nobile, Bonnie Minardi Fine Art, Silvana Pohl Aquarelas and Anna Montanaro

Three 20-minute sketches of male model in charcoal from this morning's life drawing group. Charcoal is the most basic an...
11/05/2024

Three 20-minute sketches of male model in charcoal from this morning's life drawing group. Charcoal is the most basic and oldest of drawing materials.
Pastel painters have hundreds of pretty pinks, purples, reds and yellows to choose from. Even with a limited palette of twelve colours, watercolour painters can create hundreds of colours. With charcoal there is no hiding behind colour.
In color psychology, black symbolises mystery, elegance and sophistication—and paintings in charcoal often reflect these same qualities.
Interestingly, there has also been a growing resurgence of films shot in black and white (most recently “Belfast” comes to mind) because of their simplicity and power compared to films shot in colour.

LIFE. ART. CULTURES. FAITH.If you are from New Zealand, you will already know about the haka. If not, read on…Recently w...
03/04/2024

LIFE. ART. CULTURES. FAITH.

If you are from New Zealand, you will already know about the haka. If not, read on…

Recently we welcomed 15 students, almost all from the Pacific Islands, as they started a six-month training program.

As always, we began with a powhiri, a traditional Māori welcome. The powhiri binds people together and establishes common ground or foundation so that two peoples or groups become one.
An important aspect of the powhiri is the haka. I really enjoy being part of the haka as our YWAM community welcomes new people.

Traditionally hakas are a “fierce display of pride, strength and unity and an important part of the Māori identity as a people. They were performed to inspire unity before battle and to intimidate and put fear into the enemy before battle”.

They are most commonly translated as a “war dance”, but as so often happens when Māori words and concepts are translated into English, a lot is lost in translation.

I have come to think of the haka as a proclamation. They can be a proclamation of war, yes, but I have also seen hakas performed at times of joy (weddings), during times of grief, (at funerals). They also can be performed to honour guests and show the importance of the occasion or to support and encourage people facing a particular challenge or endeavor.

Sadly, we have no equivalent in the pakeha (European or white) societies. We only have words to express ourselves. And often feeble ones at that. For example, at funerals, we try to convey emotions with platitudes like, “I’m so sorry for your loss” or, “My condolences”. How much more powerful and meaningful to express anger, grief, and encouragement through the haka!
The haka we perform at YWAM honours God and speaks of his power and authority.

Here are the mighty All Blacks (New Zealand’s rugby team, if you don’t know!) performing the haka as they always do before a game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiKFYTFJ_kw

This video goes deeper into the origins and purpose of the haka. I have watched this video many times because it captures the “heart” and centrality of the haka to Māori people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfubos9VB7U

At the end of the powhiri the hongi takes place. This involves what is translated as “the rubbing of noses”—which again really misses the essence of this important Māori protocol! The hongi is a gesture that carries great significance for the Māori because it represents the exchange of “the breath of life”. Both men and women take part in the hongi.

LIFE. ART. CULTURES. FAITH.Since coming to New Zealand over 20 years ago I have had the opportunity to learn a different...
03/04/2024

LIFE. ART. CULTURES. FAITH.

Since coming to New Zealand over 20 years ago I have had the opportunity to learn a different perspective on life and culture through the Māori, the indigenous people.

At the same time, it has left me feeling quite sad for what so many pakeha (white people or Westerners) have lost. Let me explain…

A concept within Māori culture is called whakapapa (pronounced “faka–papa”). Like most Māori concepts, it’s very hard to capture its full meaning in English. But it means something like “family genealogy”.

I find it easiest to describe in a word-picture:

Imagine a Māori person next to a river. Looking upstream, they see all the people who have gone before. Many Māori can recount their parents, grandparents and family members going back generations. Whenever they gather, they start by honouring and remembering those who have gone before, who prayed, gave their time and instilled their traditions into their children and their children.

Then, turning and facing downstream, Māori understand that their lives impact not just those around them today, but the generations to come.

In contrast, I picture many of us pakeha standing on the riverbank, disconnected from those who have gone before. We don’t know our grandparents well, let alone our descendants before them. And sadly, many of us lose touch even with our own children once they leave home. I know some who rarely see their grandchildren. We live focused on ourselves and what’s best for us and in doing so many of us have become a nomadic people, disconnected from the land and constantly moving towards the latest job offer or next opportunity.

I recently rediscovered some more of my whakapapa…the Polish side of my family! I knew my mother was half-Polish, but she never really talked about it. Imagine discovering a whole new branch of my family tree with names like Stefania Walentyna and Waclaw Ireneusz. I also learned that some of my relatives died in N**i concentration camps—not because they were Jews, but because they were Polish.

I have come to realise that our lives—yours and mine—are a chance to build a legacy and lay foundations for those who follow!

For this reason, we are excited to soon be moving an hour north to build a small cottage on the land owned by our daughter and her family and living as an extended family!

I love The Blessing, a song written as a collaborative effort during the pandemic. The words say:

May His favor be upon you, for a thousand generations
And your family and your children,
and their children,
and their children.

If you haven’t seen the video, it’s fantastic and has a wonderful Māori influence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZQPifs2kjo

This sketch, which I called “Last Days with My Father”, has since been lost to time. It was probably left behind during ...
05/03/2024

This sketch, which I called “Last Days with My Father”, has since been lost to time. It was probably left behind during one of our moves. But I wanted to share its “backstory” and how it came about.
While I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area—around the summer of 1988—I was having my morning time with God when I had a very strong impression that I needed go back to England to see my father. Not my mother, just my dad—which, in itself, was rather strange!

My father and I spent the next month sailing along the coast of France. It was just me and him, sleeping on the boat in harbours with names like Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue and La Havre. We shopped in markets, cooked breakfast on the boat and went out for lunch in little local restaurants. It was a magical time. But little did I know…

To read the full story and find out what happened, go here: https://www.timhoughton.org/journal/last-days-with-my-father

OIL OR ACRLIC? TIME TO FIND OUT…!First of all, thanks to everyone who responded. I enjoyed getting all the feedback. The...
05/03/2024

OIL OR ACRLIC? TIME TO FIND OUT…!

First of all, thanks to everyone who responded. I enjoyed getting all the feedback. There was roughly a 60/40 split, with 60% saying they thought it was acrylic. Well, it’s time to find out…drumroll please, yes, it was painted in acrylics.

I was only asking the question because I find the quality of acrylic paint has improved so much that it is often hard to tell the difference—but oils are still seen by some as “superior”. I often have to walk over to read the description below paintings in a gallery to find out and wondered how many (or more accurately, what percentage) of people are the same.

It quickly became clear that there are as many opinions as there are people!
One person said: I can tell an oil painting from an acrylic quite easily—anyone with some experience should be able to. Hmmm…well, obviously that was not the case.
Some claimed oils are “more vibrant”, while others said that acrylics are.

Unfortunately, as so often happens, the discussion got a bit “heated” with people expressing strongly held views—which is not what I intended at all.

For what it’s worth, I currently work in watercolor and acrylics. My favorite brand is Winsor and Newton (not Golden or Liquitex!!) because of their handling quality and “natural looking” pigments. It’s been a long time since I have used oils but I know they are have some attributes that acrylics don’t and I am really looking forward to using them again soon once I have a bigger studio.

One person responded: “I am so enjoying this post, for some strange reason I felt like not a 'proper artist' painting in acrylics”. And that made it all worthwhile!!

Art as Journey: timhoughton.org

ON THE JOURNEY TOWARDS A MORE EXPRESSIVE WAY OF PAINTING…As time goes by, I find myself drawn more and more towards an a...
01/03/2024

ON THE JOURNEY TOWARDS A MORE EXPRESSIVE WAY OF PAINTING…

As time goes by, I find myself drawn more and more towards an abstract, expressive way of painting—or to put it the other way, a less literal interpretation of a subject.

This was to be the background—or under-painting—for a painting about a beautiful, shallow river here in New Zealand, but at some point along the way it just seemed to be “finished”.

Now I will go back to the original photos I took and start again!

See the “Art as Journey” website here: www.timhoughton.org

WHICH IS IT…OIL OR ACRYLIC?Not long ago I got into a debate with the owner of an art supply store here in New Zealand. H...
29/02/2024

WHICH IS IT…OIL OR ACRYLIC?

Not long ago I got into a debate with the owner of an art supply store here in New Zealand. He claimed that he could always tell an acrylic painting from an oil. He said he had been in the business for over 20 years to which I replied, “So have I, but I still find it hard to tell the difference!” He was obviously from the “oils-are-better camp”…which I also disagree with! To me, oils and acrylics are “equal but different” and both are valid mediums.

I took these photos at an art show recently…

So…can you tell the difference? Which is it? Oil or acrylic?

Go to the “Art as Journey” website here: www.timhoughton.org

FINALLY FINISHED THIS PAINTING!!I have been working on this one for ages. Feels so good to get it completed!!It seems th...
08/02/2024

FINALLY FINISHED THIS PAINTING!!
I have been working on this one for ages. Feels so good to get it completed!!

It seems that in India even the simplest of things display amazing beauty…like this scene of someone’s laundry hung out to dry. Still dripping, bright orange and yellow clothes are flanked by the turquoise doors, marked, scuffed and worn. The composition is divided dramatically by the diagonals of the wires.

Sometimes paintings almost "paint themselves"...this one didn't, for some reason it was a struggle to get it finished.

See more on "Art as Journey" here: timhoughton.org

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I NEED YOUR HELPI am trying to identify materials (written or online) that would help me run a workshop or seminar on cr...
07/02/2024

I NEED YOUR HELP
I am trying to identify materials (written or online) that would help me run a workshop or seminar on creativity, art and letting go of the things that hold us back from fully expressing ourselves.

I hope to gather young people (early 20s -30s) who have a passion for art, but also photography, video, graphic design or even the written word here in New Zealand for a time of exploring our creativity.

I have looked at Living the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, and at first thought it looked really good, but in the end, I am not sure it is the right material.

Any thoughts, insights or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

THE SECRET DOORIn India, something intriguing lies around every corner. This alcove was set into a wall with a small woo...
05/02/2024

THE SECRET DOOR
In India, something intriguing lies around every corner. This alcove was set into a wall with a small wooden door, pink, worn, carved and cracked. What was it for? What did it represent? In the roughly textured whitewashed wall, a hole was filled with a broken stone. I added text (in Sanskrit and barely visible) to convey the sense of time passing, painting layers until I had captured the sense of place.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One day in the Pacific Island of Samoa, I walked out across a reef, peering down into cracks between the rocks into the ...
30/01/2024

One day in the Pacific Island of Samoa, I walked out across a reef, peering down into cracks between the rocks into the depths. As the waves broke over the reef the water flooded in and out of the crevices and the brilliant blues and greens became deeper and more mysterious.

To try to capture the liquid colors of water as they flowed around the rocks, I glued paper and cardboard to the paper, added texture paste then poured liquid paint and let it run, mix and flow across the surface of the painting. I repeated this at least eight times, building the layers until I was satisfied with the patterns that formed.

I am striving to be less literal and more expressive in my paintings!

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

THE TRANSFORMING BEAUTY OF WATERWater in all its forms—lakes, ponds, streams, waterfalls, rivers and oceans, fountains i...
30/01/2024

THE TRANSFORMING BEAUTY OF WATER
Water in all its forms—lakes, ponds, streams, waterfalls, rivers and oceans, fountains in small villages in Spain or France, coral lagoons in the islands of the South Pacific—almost always brings a sense of peace, reflection and rest.
What could be better than to sit beside water with a sketch book and watercolours, watching the ever-changing patterns of colour, the reflections, refractions and diffusions, as water and light transform each other?
Clouds, mists and fogs are nothing more than water suspended in air. But when light shines onto, around or through them, they become breath-taking.

Seem my thoughts and reflections on water by clicking on this image...

I love water. I find it unendingly beautiful. Water in all its forms—lakes, ponds, streams, waterfalls, rivers and oceans, fountains in small villages in Spain or France, coral lagoons in the islands of the South Pacific—almost always brings a sense of peace, reflection and rest. When light and ...

AKHA WOMAN WITH PIPEAcrylic on paper. Years ago, I spent six months in the mountains of northern Thailand gathering rese...
30/01/2024

AKHA WOMAN WITH PIPE
Acrylic on paper.
Years ago, I spent six months in the mountains of northern Thailand gathering research for my master’s thesis on the hilltribes. Recently, working from a sketch, reference photos and memories from my time there, I finished, “Akha Woman with Pipe”. Using a subdued palette which focused on the reds, silvers and dark green of her blouse against the green greys of the background. I glued some real coins onto the paper to match the ones on her Akha headdress and worked hard to capture her face and the texture of the old pipe.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Address


Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Tim Houghton Art as Journey posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Tim Houghton Art as Journey:

Videos

Shortcuts

  • Address
  • Telephone
  • Alerts
  • Contact The Business
  • Videos
  • Claim ownership or report listing
  • Want your business to be the top-listed Travel Agency?

Share

Art. Travel. Life.

I have loved painting since High School, when I first discovered the joy of expressing myself through art. This led to my going to art school, first in Wi******er, then Cardiff. I have always loved the creative process of expressing ideas, thoughts and feelings. The idea for a painting often begins while I am doing something quite mundane, on a walk, driving, listening to music. I allow the image to develop in my mind, sorting out colours and composition in my head, playing with different ideas and moving things around, so that by the time I start work I can actually “see” the painting almost fully formed. I also find inspiration by setting off on foot with my camera and sketch book, heading nowhere in particular. Then, turning a corner, coming face to face with something that moves my spirit. I am often attracted to quiet, remote places. A back alley, a deserted beach, steps down to a lake where Indian women are washing their clothes, stormy skies. Light inspires me, the light at a particular time of day, backlighting an old boat, a road, a flower. And colour that stands out, strikes me full on, like a slap in the face. I am persistent. Very, very persistent! I want my paintings to be the absolute best they can be. I will work and re-work a painting until it is as good as I can get it—or I throw it away. (The process of tearing up a painting is actually very therapeutic and the catalyst for grabbing a brush and starting over on the same image, again and again, until I get it right). For the same reason, I use only professional quality paints, the best rag watercolour paper, lightfast pigments…if I’m going to do something, I want to do it right. My idea of a perfect day is a supply of good quality watercolour paper or a clean white canvas, some great music, maybe a glass of wine…and unlimited time. Nobody comes into my studio while I am painting, it is my space, away from the stresses and worries of the world. I start with an idea of what the painting will look like…then step out on what I call “the journey”. I love exploring the boundary between abstract and figurative. I paint figuratively, about the things I see around me, but want my paintings to “live on the border of becoming abstract”.