June 23 – July 18, 2026. Exhibit of recent work at Pictor Gallery, 547 W. 27th Street, NYC.
These recent paintings, all done during the spring of 2026, reflect my impressions of the intensity of New Zealand’s natural beauty and deep spirituality. The Māori name for New Zealand, Aotearoa, can be translated into English as “the land of the long white cloud.” The wide expansive vault of the island sky in Aotearoa leaves ample space for clouds and breezes to stretch out…the clouds are indeed startlingly long and almost lozenge-shaped. Instead of the puffy cumulus clouds that appear over the Jersey shore and the North Atlantic, these clouds looked like long, expressive gestural brushstrokes of paint. Yes, many were white, but they also were different hues of peach, violet, grey-blue, gold, maroon…and reflected the sea and hills in further beautiful colors.
The visual counterpoints to the dramatic figuration in the sky are the mountain peaks, furrowed hills, and rugged coastal rocks. It is small wonder that many of the Māori myths feature the sea, clouds and mountains as living lovers, siblings, and rivals in passionate origin stories of the landscapes that form this incredible country.
More than anything else, I felt the reverence and gratitude that all New Zealanders feel for the beauty and abundance of their country, honored in the calm and compassionate way they treat their surroundings and each other.
I am so thankful to have been able to spend time with the people, wildlife, and surroundings of Aotearoa New Zealand, and look forward to many more colorful encounters.
LINDA GANUS ALBULESCU artist 