Biography 2024 – Judi Bagust
Judi Bagust is a painter from a family with a rich artistic heritage spanning five generations. She earned her Master of Fine Arts from Whitecliffe College in 2013.
Her grandfather Charles Bryant, was honoured with a First Class Award at the New Zealand & South Pacific Exhibition in Dunedin in 1926, for his oil painting Whanganui River. Her father Tom (C.W.) Bryant was a dedicated oil painter throughout his lifetime.
Following in the family’s footsteps her daughter Petra Bagust, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the University of Canterbury and the artistic lineage continues with her granddaughter Venetia Wilson, completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts in painting at The Dunedin School of Art in 2024.
2023-2024: Bagust participated in an Anthony Joseph poetry workshop at the Auckland Writers Festival. This experience led her to integrate the rhythm of sonnet writing into her painting, creating a joyful new visual poem series.
Additionally, she was commissioned by The Auckland Abstract Hotel to create a large – scale gestural ink painting for ‘The Blue Room’, a private meeting space, inspired by the ocean at Medlands Beach on Aotea, a retreat for her family.
2020-2021: Moving across Auckland into community with her whanau, during covid lockdown and unable to visit her ancestral river Te Hoiere–Pelorus Bagust started to explore the idea of layering her river/awa marks in colour over earlier black and white marks. These curve and dip, river over place, producing a striking three dimensional effect.
2018-2019: Bagust pursued a childhood dream by studying Te Reo Māori at Te Wananga o Aotearoa, graduating Te Pūtaketanga ki te Reo Level 4.
Her love and fascination with New Zealand birdlife, including kereru, kotare, and tūī, often seen in her backyard, Le Roys Bush, greatly influenced her art, leading to the creation of her Native Bird Flight series.
During this period, she was also commissioned by Icebreaker Clothing USA to create artwork focused on the world’s waters. Her artist statement highlighted concerns about the 70% of earth covered by water, addressing environmental issues, rising sea levels and pollution. A series of river works was inspired after this commission.
2017: A commission by Material Creative for Bagust to produce a 4.5 mtr ink drawing interpreting native bird flight for the ‘Paska Dining Room’ at Auckland’s Naumi Hotel. Also creating bedroom triptychs reproduced as prints. The Naumi Hotel was later listed by Forbes as one of the top ten airport hotels in the world.
2015-17: Bagust continued exploration of the gestural mark, having attended three workshops with Max Gimblett throughout this decade, and with his encouragement she continued to develop her own marks in ink.
2015: She showcased The Inbetween at Wellington Exhibitions Gallery, exploring the Polynesian concept of the space between sea and sky, in a solo exhibition.
2014: Bagust had a solo exhibition titled Ipseity – Essence: The Interior Being of Self at Auckland Exhibitions Gallery front room.
2011-2013: Bagust began her Master of Fine Arts at Whitecliffe College of Art & Design in 2011. The challenges and stimulation of art school influenced her practice, leading to her graduation in 2013. During her studies, she developed a refined gestural drawing style and explored the concept of ‘place’ in her dissertation.
2007-2010: Bagust and her partner Niki Bath established Atrium Artworks, a studio gallery space in Devonport, which became a hub for their artistic activities and successful exhibitions.
2001-2007: Back in Auckland, Bagust focused on abstract oil painting within a tutored studio group led by Anton Chapman, while continuing her career in Interior Design.
1991: After relocating to Christchurch, Bagust diversified her artistic exploration by taking classes in drawing, watercolour, and acrylics. She participated in group exhibitions and further developed her successful Interior Design practice.
1988: Upon returning to Auckland, Bagust concentrated on Interior Design, drawing inspiration for her artistic work from this field.
1985: After moving to the U.K. Bagust wrote a highly commended thesis on Developing Aesthetic Awareness and continued her art practice. She received a notable commission for a large fabric banner and explored galleries such as The Tate, The Clore Gallery, The National Gallery, and those in Bristol and Bath.
1982-1985: Under the guidance of Greg Whitecliffe, Bagust painted in oils, working en plein air and later collaborating with artists at Kohimarama Yacht Club.
1980: In Auckland, Bagust began interior design work and china painting, joining the Auckland China Painters Society and attending the World China Painters Convention in Sydney.
1972-1979: Bagust was a member of the Wellington Art Society, participating in oil painting groups and exhibitions.
Early Life: Growing up in Waitohe/Picton, a small seaside town in Marlborough, Bagust has a deep connection to Te Waipounamu, the South Island and her ancestral roots in Te Hoiere-Pelorus, which profoundly influence her work.
The whakatauki ‘Kō au te Āwa, ko te Āwa kō au’ (I am the river and the river is me) resonates deeply with her and her river, Te Hoiere-Pelorus.
Bagust has been a finalist in eight National art competitions.
Aero Ink on Lanaquarelle paper, 640gsm, 1520mm x 1040mm