Hamish Foote Completed the Degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, Elam, University of Auckland in 2004. He is currently Year Leader, Course Co-ordinator and Senior Lecturer in Landscape Architecture and Design at Unitec, Auckland.

Utilising different mediums over his career from lithographic printing to painting in watercolours as well as oils and egg tempera, Foote works in the finest detail. Every medium is mastered to further his exploration of the landscape we are surrounded with as well as the beings occupying it. Subjects in his paintings range from birds to insects with the slow introduction of new elements occurring between each series of works.

With the introduction of each new element in his work Foote explores the impact of exotic and native plants, birds and insects. It is fitting that each new series of work has progressed from the plant to the landscape to the birds and insects that occupy the land. This progression has happened virtually subconsciously for Foote and highlights his strong interest in the natural world.

Although Foote’s choices of medium are not so common in contemporary art his treatment of the subject and composition of his works locates them firmly within contemporary art practice. By presenting the native kea in front of the denuded land, cleared for running cattle or sheep, Foote highlights the constant changes that are occurring due to human interference.

Foote has also created iconological works on which he has painted insects such as cicadas, wasp’s and shield-backed beetles. In raising common, everyday subjects to objects of reverence Foote hopes to ‘authenticate, draw attention to, endorse and glorify his subject matter.’