Raumati artist Tania Dally has recently returned to Kāpiti after escaping the winter to paint in Portugal and Spain. The resulting series, named Voz: Voices of Portugal and Spain, comprises 12 large abstract works and will be featured at Tania’s Boatshed Studio on Raumati Beach during the Kāpiti Arts Trail being held over the next two weekends.
“The word for ‘voice’ in both Portuguese and Spanish is ‘voz’, so I thought this presented the ideal name for the series,” says Tania. “The countries both have proud and impressive histories and by immersing yourself in the landscape, architecture, food, wine and culture, you begin to hear the voices that speak from down the centuries. It was my interpretation of the essence of these voices that I sought to capture on canvas.”
The series consists of six paintings from Portugal and six from Spain reflecting the fact that Tania divided her time evenly between the two Iberian neighbours. The distinctive architecture of the region as well as landscapes, food and local culture all feature as subjects of the works.
“In all my paintings I am not aiming for pictorial representation,” says Tania. “Instead my paintings seek to reflect the energy and emotion of the scene as I see, hear and feel it. I hope I have managed to convey this, and that you can begin to hear the voices of Portugal and Spain speaking to you from within the canvases.”
Tania has had the 12 images compiled into an art calendar of which there are two versions; firstly a signed, A2 perpetual calendar, which is a limited edition of 30 copies and will be on sale for $150 each. A perpetual calendar is not tied to any particular year, meaning it provides a different print to display for each month for years to come.
The second version is an A4 version of a 2023 calendar. While the A4 version will sell for $20, the first 50 visitors on each of the four days of the Arts Trail to Tania’s Boatshed Studio, across the footbridge from the Marine Gardens car park on Raumati Beach, can pick one up for free.
VOZ: Voices of Portugal and Spain series
By Tania Dally
Kāpiti Arts Trail: Sat 5/Sun 6 Nov and Sat 12/Sun 13 Nov 10am – 5pm.
Where: Tania Dally Art Boatshed Studio, across the footbridge, Marine Gardens car park, Raumati Beach.
By Tania Dally – Campo Huelva