Robert Macdonald – New Watercolours

Fe29 is excited to announce the arrival of 15 new watercolours by Robert Macdonald (Wales).

Macdonald was born in the UK, and emigrated to New Zealand with his family in 1945, settling in Ruawai (Kaipara Harbour). Macdonald initially trained as a reporter, working as a journalist at the New Zealand Herald.

In 1958, he made his way by boat to London, where he was accepted at the Central School of Art. While Chief Diplomatic Correspondent, he travelled widely with Britain’s Foreign Secretaries, but continued to paint in his spare time.

In 1972, six of his large Maori portraits were exhibited in New Zealand House in London. In 1976 he undertook postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art, London and later returned to the Central to take an advanced printing course.

Macdonald has since become a well-known artist in Wales and has been chair of the Welsh Group (the senior association of professional artists). He is currently a director of the Swansea Printmaking Workshop and President of the Royal Watercolour Society of Wales. His prints have been widely exhibited internationally and are held in many public collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

Macdonald, who returns to New Zealand regularly to visit family, loves to paint familiar scenes from life in New Zealand. He hopes you will enjoy these colourful, fun works painted during the early 2000’s.