Rex Armstrong is a painterly expressionist whose work is rooted
in figuration - both human and environmental. His vigorous mark
making and earthy palette are reminiscent of Australian painters
like Ian Fairweather and Tony Tuckson, but it is the New Zealand
landscape that has provided inspiration and motivation throughout
his painting career. It is also a consistent strand that runs
through a substantial and varied body of work.
Over the years he has developed a starker, more stripped down
view of the land and in the process his imagery has become
more a symbol of the landscape than a recording of
it.
Armstrong, a self educated artist, has been painting and
exhibiting regularly since 1990 and has been an annual finalist in
the Wallace Art Awards. He has held 14 solo exhibitions and
participated in numerous invited and group exhibitions, the most
recent being Storm Warning, curated by Riemke Ensing, featuring
work by Colin McCahon, Stanley Palmer and John Madden. Armstrong
was born in Huntly in 1948 and grew up in Auckland where he is
currently based.