J Stewart

J Stewart (Jamie Stewart Leonard) is a talented self-taught New Zealand landscape artist originally from a rural and farming background.  The artist is passionate not only with capturing the backbone of NZ farming with incredible rugged mustering scenes, but with the unique light effects and awe-inspiring landforms of NZ landscapes, especially areas of Fiordland, Western Southland and the Central Plateau. 

"Landscapes are my passion and I'm fascinated by the beauty of the land and its spiritual essence. I endeavour to capture nature's absolute beauty."

J Stewart works in oil canvas and linen building up numerous glazes of paint to achieve his desired look, sometimes incorporating 40 to 80 layers to create a scene with rich depth of colour. While realistic in their depiction, J Stewart's paintings are also emotive and expressive with their distinctive mists resting on the landscape creating a spiritual mood. Spending time with these works one discovers the artist has not compromised on details hidden in the fog. The eye slowly reveals distant glaciers, birds in flight, tree tops and incoming rain. This is similar to the experience of sitting still in nature. The longer one contemplates, the more life emerges from the scene around them.