Leighton Upson

I have been immersed in one ten square meter place within a native forest fragment in urban Ngāmotu/New Plymouth, painting in multiple ways. I investigate ways of exploring, connecting with, and communicating the remaining 5% of lowland forest. My work is an on-going exploration into the nature and problems of painting the vitality of the forest and how forest paintings can both engage and challenge the viewer to think about their local ecology and botanical identity. Focus is given to providing an ecological attunement in the artwork, connecting through the painterly performative in the forest. The paintings demand slow and careful perusal.
I am currently a Fine Arts PhD candidate. Two of my paintings were selected into the 2019 and 2020 Wallace Art Awards and in 2022 I was in the National Contemporary Art Awards.
Instagram @leightonupsonart