The essence of South Island on Canvas

An embittered homemaker and mother, who suffered extremities of family violence, has consigned her past to memory and emerged as a painter by her own right.

Mary Prema (featured in Indian Newslink Diwali Special, October 15, 2010) has come a long way as a woman of strong will and stronger talent.

Her paintings are currently on display at the Abundance Art Gallery in Te Atatu Peninsula. Titled, Delightful Surroundings, her first Solo Exhibition is open from 930 am to 5 pm from Tuesday to Saturday and from 1130 am to 4 pm on Sunday. It will conclude on July 31.

There are 25 paintings on sale at the Gallery.

Visitors to the Exhibition say that the paintings are a true representation of New Zealand’s beauty and the artist’s creative ability.

Mary said she captured the sylvan surroundings of the South Island, which, despite the devastating earthquake and aftershocks in Christchurch, brings out the essence of New Zealand as a pristine country.

Victim of abuse

Married at an early age of 17, Mary was a victim of family violence, suffering merciless beating, verbal and physical abuse, despite being a dedicated wife, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law and finally a mother.

Each of these relationships took a thrashing, for the family that she entered was punitive and pugnacious, vituperative and vindictive and worst of all, intolerable and incorrigible.

“Those nine years were the worst nightmarish in my life. I must have had nine lives because each year, on my birthday, I had the feeling of being born again. However, nothing changed. There were many occasions when I was almost beaten to death. I do not remember a day when I was perceived as a human being,” Mary said.

Each time she was brutally beaten, Mary used to protect her right hand from fracture or even a simple injury, so that she could paint.

When the treatment at home became unbearable, she left the house with her two children, aged eight and three, without knowing what would come next.

A new home

Arriving in New Zealand, Mary was diffident and scared even to try to make a difference. Her love for art continued, she was keen to make a transition, but she waited until her children were able to look after themselves.

As well as undertaking paintings assignments for companies and individuals, she teaches the art on group and one-to-one basis.

Some of her paintings were on display at the Waitakere Trust Art Awards Exhibition in November last year.

She is currently specialising in New Zealand and South Pacific art, capturing the essence of Nature, Culture and people.