About Alex DiMercurio

I'm a French-Kiwi artist with a deep love for nature and art.

I have been both a galleried and a professional, self-representing artist for over 17 years, connecting directly with curators and collectors across the globe.

My mission is to celebrate the simple beauty of the natural world by creating immersive and contemplative works that enhance our connection to nature and encourage a conservationist heart.

I'm captivated by the interplay of movement, light, and contrasting shadows in natural settings infused with joyful colours.

Known primarily for my treescapes which are imbued with light, colour, energy, and a hint of nostalgia. I explore the interconnectedness of all things, inviting contemplation of nature's fragile beauty and the ephemeral passage of time.

My unique painterly style combines highly textural impasto with translucent and fluid brush strokes that reveal subtle layers of colour and form beneath. Creating a profound depth and intensity in each piece.

My latest work focuses on highly textural abstract cloudscapes, exploring refracted light, colour relationships and the emotions of dramatic sunset and sunrise hues.

These pieces, as others have mentioned, seemingly levitate off the walls, inviting close inspection and touch, while also offering new perspectives from a distance.

Exterior of the Louvre in Paris

From the beginning

Having a Parisian artist mother, I was immersed in a world of celebrated art and museums from a young age. I vividly recall standing in awe before Claude Monet's 'Waterlilies' at Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris, an early personal inspiration. Painting and creativity has since consumed and inspired me. From early beginnings as an art student I was hand-picked to have paintings exhibited at The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, in 1990. Later on, my second group exhibition held at Saatchi & Saatchi's 5 Stories High gallery was a sold-out success, motivating me to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time artist.

I've since enjoyed a prolific artistic career, exhibiting in galleries and group shows, creating commissioned works for both national & international clients, and gaining recognition in publications and national Art Awards.

Travel painting by Alex DiMercurio of Old Ragusa in Sicily

More recently

I embarked on a transformative five-year journey, backpacking South America, touring Europe in a motorhome, and then sailing around the Mediterranean in a catamaran.

Getting hit by lightening quickly put an end to our grand sailing plans of circumnavigating the world!

Despite limited space and no art studio during this time, I channeled my creativity into small watercolour works, inspired by the ever-changing world around me. Ironically it was always New Zealand's pristine nature that I longed to paint.

Having moved back home to Wellington after the Covid pandemic in 2022, I now have a new lovely studio and my creative space back again. I’ve learnt along the way that being creative and communicating my ideas, emotions and passions through painting is what nourishes me.

  • My playground

    A light and airy creative space. The sun streams into this little haven in the mornings. Inviting me in to get started with a cup of tea in hand and my music playing. Usually my little fur-buddy Millau comes to see what I'm doing. He really is the best company and being a chihuahua, hardly takes up any space!

  • A place for my tools

    I've always dreamed of displaying all my paints like you see in the art stores. No more digging in boxes looking for that one specific colour! And when I am concepting an idea I also get to daydream out onto my garden of lush native trees while listening to birdlife.

  • In the moment

    I'm usually working on several pieces at a time so things can get messy. When I need a break from the intense concentration of a larger canvas I play and experiment on smaller works. Usually thinking about colour palettes or techniques I need to work on. This is where I have a lot of fun. Anything goes!

Education

I graduated from Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand in 2002, and have more recently studied fine arts at private art schools in Montmartre, Paris and the Cannes Beaux Arts institute. 

Notably, in 2019 I had the privilege of working within the historic faculty residence of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec where he first met Suzanne Valadon. His friend Vincent van Gogh would often frequent and share this very art studio. Montmartre's legacy as Paris’ creative hub is remarkable. Other renowned figures such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir shaped its artistic landscape. To engage with this amazing heritage, soak up the atmosphere and walk the same winding, cobbled streets of such incredible artistic legends while also realising my lifelong artistic aspirations was a profound experience.

During my six-month residency in Paris, I also devoted myself to weekly visits at the Louvre, which is a treasure-trove of art history. And where I engaged myself in intensive drawing and immersive study sessions alongside the masters of classical, neo-classical, Hellenistic, Renaissance, and Baroque art. 

2020 Association des beaux-arts de Cannes, France.

2019 Studio Escalier, Montmatre, Paris, France.

2010-2013 Inverlochy Art School, Wellington.

1998-2002 Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Massey University, Wellington.

1991 Visual Communication and Design, Massey University, Wellington

Exhibitions

2024 

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, Autumn - Award Winner

Wellington Art Show, Tākina Events Centre

2023

Auckland Art Show, The Cloud

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, Art on the Wharf

Wellington City Life Education Trust Art Exhibition, Academy Galleries

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, Naked

The New Zealand Art Show, Wellington

The Art Sale, Hamilton

2013 

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, An Artist’s Guide to Summer

a+e Gallery, Napier, Group Show

HCR Art Awards and Exhibition

Wallace Gallery, Morrinsville, Group show

The New Zealand Art Show, Wellington

Thorndon Charity Art Auction, Wellington

The Original Art Sale, Auckland

Inverlochy Art School, Wellington, Group Annual Exhibition

Artists Den & Gallery, Auckland, Kiwiana Art Exhibition

2012 

NZ Art Show, Wellington

The Museum Hotel, Wellington, Group show

Pearce Gallery, Parnell, Auckland - Gallery36, 4 Years on

Funicular Eatery, Wellington

2011 

The NZ Art Show, Wellington

Wellington City Life Education Trust Exhibition - Academy Galleries

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington – Now, Then, When

2010 

NZ Art Show, Wellington

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington – Artists as Activists

Chaffers Gallery, Wellington

Tamarillo Gallery, Wellington - Beech Symphonies

Duxton Art Awards, Wellington

2009 

NZAFF Affordable Art Show, Wellington - Signature Award Piece Finalist

Duxton Art Awards, Wellington

Tamarillo Gallery, Wellington - Journeys Through Beech series

Tamarillo Gallery, Wellington - Sunset Journeys series

The Physics Room, Christchurch, National Drawing Award - Finalist

Enjoy Gallery, Wellington - National Drawing Award Exhibition - Finalist

ARTSPACE, Auckland, National Drawing Award Exhibition - Finalist

Academy Galleries, Wellington - Summer, Bringing the Outside In

2008 

Academy Galleries, Wellington - Art to Go

Academy Galleries, Wellington - Winter

NZAFA Affordable Art Show, Wellington

Academy Galleries, Wellington - Autumn

Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery, Wellington - 5 Stories High, Water Women

Academy Galleries, Wellington, Festival 2008

2007 

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington - Art to Go

Delux Café, Wellington

River East Gallery, Greytown

Telecom Art Awards, NZ

Emerge Gallery, Wellington

NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, Spring Exhibition

2006 

Cafe Art, Raumati

Telecom Art Awards, NZ Finalist

NZ Art Show NZAFA, Wellington

2005

NZ Art Show NZAFA, Wellington

2004

NZ Art Show NZAFA, Wellington

1990 

The Dowse Gallery, Lower Hutt, Wellington

AWARDS

2024 NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, Autumn - Award Winner

2009 NZAFF Affordable Art Show, Wellington - Signature Award Piece Finalist

2009 National Drawing Award Finalist

2006 Telecom Art Awards, NZ Finalist

PUBLICATIONS

2017 NZ House & Garden - Article: A Bold Renovation. Featured Artworks

2012 The Kiwi Diary

2011 The Kiwi Diary

2010 Album Cover - Conversations Clean, C Moore

2010 New Zealand Artfind Calendar 2010

FILM/MEDIA

2011 The Living Channel (NZ) Homepage Highlighted Artist (Jan - May 2011) -

www.livingchannel.co.nz

2008 TV3 Nightline showcase story (3 Aug) – Showcased on Nightline for the opening night of the NZAFF Art Show

RESIDENCIES

2019 Studio Escalier, Montmartre, Paris, France. Figure drawing and figure oil painting, incl. weekly drawing sessions at the Louvre - 6 months

EDUCATION

2020 Association des Beaux-Arts de Cannes, France

2019 Studio Escalier, Montmartre, Paris, France

2010 - 2013 Inverlochy Art School, Wellington, New Zealand

1998 - 2002 Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

1991 Visual Communication and Design, Massey University, Wellington