Jack Trolove needs space. That becomes obvious the moment you encounter the large portrait-in-progress on the wall of his Shelly Bay studio, along with a well-worn path of footprints leading several metres back from the canvas (“my father calls it a sheep track,” he jokes).

 

Trolove’s paintings also need space, because they work from two perspectives: close-up abstract and far-view realism. To illustrate this effect, Trolove mentions a guy who attended one of his exhibitions; he glanced at each painting he passed and then did a double-take when he saw them all again from a distance.

 

The intensely emotional portraits, painted with vivid acrylics spread across canvas with palette knives, are a stark contrast to Trolove’s chilled-out, friendly personality and also his studio: a wide, white-walled space that used to be part of the air force mess (there are still old cutlery drawers, as well as a communal serving area). The west-facing windows show the sea, creating the impression that one could simply leap into the ocean at a moment’s notice. It’s a place of emotional and historical connections for Trolove, whose grandfather was an airforce pilot and lived in Shelly Bay.

​

Trolove graduated with an MFA from Massey University and his work is lauded locally and internationally (he was shortlisted to exhibit in London’s National Portrait gallery, and has been a two-time finalist for the Wallace Art Awards) . He’s also had many solo shows in NZ, Australia, and Spain, but it’s been a road filled with hard work – including an all-night painting session on Barcelona’s Las Ramblas several years ago, with no bed and just five Euros to his name.

 

Formerly a digital artist, Trolove now appreciates the physical and intimate qualities of painting by hand. “I feel like I’m touching someone’s face… it’s the closest I can get to creating without giving birth!”

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​