Michael Hight
Encyclopedia
Michael Hight, prominent New Zealand
artist
, was born in Stratford, New Zealand
in 1961. He graduated with a B.Soc.Sc from Victoria University of Wellington
in 1982. Between 1984 and 1987 he traveled, and lived and painted in London
. He is a self-taught artist, and has been painting since the age of 14.
Hight has been a regular exhibitor since 1984, and has been a full-time artist since 2001. Hight rose to prominence in the 1990s with a series of profound exhibitions, including Heartland Trinkets (1992-93), In Trust (1995), Seven Rivers (1995), Four Strong Winds (1996) and Maungakakaramea (1998). In 2002 his Auckland
exhibition Omarama/Place of Light sold out prior to the opening.
Hight’s work is held in many New Zealand collections, and he has been the recipient of several QEII
grants.
Many of Hight's works are of one of two types - realistic portrayals of countryside, often dominated by beehives, or linear abstract works in wax and resin.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, was born in Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
in 1961. He graduated with a B.Soc.Sc from Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
in 1982. Between 1984 and 1987 he traveled, and lived and painted in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He is a self-taught artist, and has been painting since the age of 14.
Hight has been a regular exhibitor since 1984, and has been a full-time artist since 2001. Hight rose to prominence in the 1990s with a series of profound exhibitions, including Heartland Trinkets (1992-93), In Trust (1995), Seven Rivers (1995), Four Strong Winds (1996) and Maungakakaramea (1998). In 2002 his Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
exhibition Omarama/Place of Light sold out prior to the opening.
Hight’s work is held in many New Zealand collections, and he has been the recipient of several QEII
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
grants.
Many of Hight's works are of one of two types - realistic portrayals of countryside, often dominated by beehives, or linear abstract works in wax and resin.