Esther Deans is a painter currently living and working in her home town of Peel Forest, South Canterbury. She was raised in an artistic family, and learned the skills of observational painting from her grandfather, the landscape painter Austen Deans and her uncle, the figure painter, Lindsay Crooks. She studied English and Philosophy at university and worked as an English teacher for several years before making painting a career focus.
Esther has recently completed her Master of Visual Arts at Auckland University of Technology, and is currently studying towards a PhD in visual arts.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021, Glass Houses, Susan Badcock gallery, Geraldine
2017, Between Uncertainties, Alta gallery, Wellington
2016, Morven, York st gallery, Timaru
Group Exhibitions
2021, Emergent: See II, Lake House Gallery, Auckland
2020, Sunday GIRL, Corban Estate Art Centre, Auckland
2020, Emergent: See, Lake House Gallery, Auckland
2020, Nodes, Alta Gallery, Wellington
2018, Extractions, Alta Gallery, Wellington
2018, Fragments, Weasel Gallery, Hamilton
2017, Observances, Esther Deans & David O. Jones, Alta Gallery, Wellington
2015, Interior, Esther Deans & David O. Jones, Lot 23, Auckland
Awards
2022, ZONTA art awards, Ashburton Gallery - Finalist
2022, Craig’s Aspring Art Award, Wanaka - Finalist
2021, Walker and Hall Awards, Waiheke Island - Finalist
2019, R. T. Nelson Award, Wellington - Finalist
2019, Molly Morpeth Canaday Award - Merit Award
2018, Geraldine Arts and Plants Award - First place
2017, Molly Morpeth Canaday award - Merit award
2014, Adam portrait award - Highly commended
Education
2019 Masters of Visual Arts with Honours (first class), Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
2008 Graduate Diploma of Teaching, English and Social Studies, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
2007 Graduate Diploma of Arts, International Relations, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
2005 Korean language and International Relations, International student exchange, Ewha University, Seoul, South Korea
2002-2004 Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Philosophy, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
Publication
Master’s thesis: