Last chance to see Nicolas Dillon's birds

Do you know where Two Fat Indians is on Manchester st? Well, right nearby is the Brooke Gifford art gallery. Go up the stairs for a peek of New Zealand outdoors, indoors. Stunning birds. Absolutely fabulous. Well, well, worth a look. Especially if you like simplicity, impressionism, and native NZ birds.

I was fishing through the recycle bin at work for something to read when I came across a 2 week old bit of newspaper with a couple of bird paintings and a brief description. As a fellow bird painter, I knew then and there that I just had to check it out.

There are only 13 pieces on display (I curiously noted that all but one of them were painted this year -that's some serious effort in oils) each with a price tag of 2-4K which I consider a bit steep when you can still see the whiteness of the canvas showing through in places. I guess that's where impressionism comes in. From a distance they are flawless masterpieces (even with the somewhat novel subject placement), but close up each one bears witness to a flying brush.

My detail-oriented mind has trouble reconciling such apparent hastiness with an accurate depiction of these beautiful creatures. Yet there it was before me plain as day, I know what I saw -the individual character of each bird captured on canvas. I will just add that the birds, as the stars of the show, ARE brilliant, it's the backgrounds that are a bit wishy-washy.

They are delightful and enthralling works and I highly recommend a viewing if you're in town on Saturday. Open from 11-1:30 What are you waiting for?