Distress & Mayhem

Paul Hartigan was born in New Plymouth and moved to Auckland in order to study at Elam School of Fine Arts. Hartigan is an artist with a remarkable ability to master various industrial skills and apply these in a fine art context. He uses industrial enamel to realise his images, exploring the relationship between line and colour. During his early years this preoccupation with line and colour was extended to the use of neon lighting. His work entitled 'Whipping the Wind' stands today as one of the largest neon art works in the world. It was commissioned by the Wellington City Council and is presently located on the corner of Balance Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington. Hartigan has had numerous solo and group exhibitions and is represented in numerous collections throughout New Zealand. He was the recipient of the Inaugural Wanganui Lion's Club, the AA Travel Art Award and has been a recipient of a QEII Arts Council Grant.