11 Sept 07 Richard Taylor will be opening a local exhibition titled ?A Family Affair? at Rona Gallery in Eastbourne this Friday, which features the work of New Zealand father and daughter duo, Ken and Renee Hunt.

Ken is a classical realist painter. Much of his work involves Maori heritage themes, landscapes and portraiture. His daughter, Renee, is an abstract expressionist, who has been painting for the past eight years and selling her work in galleries for the past three years. Ken says that while their styles are very different they complement one another. ?It definitely is a contrast?, he laughs. ?While we work in alternative styles, the techniques that we use are very similar?, says Ken. ?Visually, however, it is certainly a contrast!?

Ken Hunt's work above.

Richard had commissioned Ken to create an artwork for his partner Tania based on their son?s love of trains. Ken says he was thrilled to be asked ? and a little surprised! ?I said to Richard, you have a wealth of artists working with you every day at Weta?, says Ken. ?And so my next question was, ?why ask me??? Richard told him he was looking for a piece that was different, and that it was Ken?s ?painterly? style that appealed.

?A Family Affair? will mark Ken?s first ever exhibition showing and selling his works. ?I have been painting privately for twenty years?, explains Ken. ?But I don?t like to work to deadlines if I can avoid it. Like any artist, you work best when you?re on a roll, in ?the zone? and you can?t force the ?zone?. So, in the past, I have been reluctant to exhibit because of deadlines!?

A piece by Ken Hunt, above.

Ken says this exhibition was a good chance to put work sitting in his studio in the public eye. ?My motto is ?the pursuit of excellence?, and I want every piece I do to be better than the last. In this case, I had created copies of works by Goldie to broaden my genre and improve my technique, and shortly people started to buy them. So I thought, perhaps this might be a good chance to step out of my comfort zone!?

A Family Affair runs from 15-29 September, 2007 at Rona Gallery. The opening commences at 6.30pm on Friday 14 September and is open to the public.