“Gardens have always been central to my life. I grew up in Auckland in a household dominated by gardening, and was surrounded by the rhythm of the seasons.

Botanical elements entered my paintings whilst a student at the Elam School of Fine Arts (1969-71), and have been increasingly central to my work ever since. I have incorporated plants derived from a variety of sources, including my own gardens over the years. Whenever I begin a painting I recall walking through a tangled mass of wildflowers and towering weeds that bordered a large meadow near a small English village in spring. The air was thick with butterflies, bees and various other insects; it was a sensation that has never left me, and one I endeavour to capture in my paintings.”

– Pamela Wolfe 2023