“I am a Creative Adventurer.”
All things and forms of art fascinate Maureen Roke.

Maureen first learned the practice of watercolour while living in the United Kingdom, where she spent over 20 years surrounded by the beauty of the English countryside. During that time, she studied under several gifted watercolour artists and immersed herself in the work of the Masters, European artists, and the rich gallery culture across the UK and Europe.

After returning to New Zealand, Maureen continued her creative journey through formal art study and is now a member of the New Zealand Watercolour Society. She also belongs to a small group of five diverse and talented artists, who in turn are part of the wider Mahurangi Artists network.

Her paintings have found homes in the UK, Europe, Africa, Japan, and throughout New Zealand.

Maureen is inspired daily by her home on the northern coast of New Zealand. The vivid, intense light of the region plays a big role in her use of bold, expressive colour.

While watercolour is her preferred medium, she also works with acrylics, oils, and collage. Sketching is her “happy place,” and she enjoys teaching the art of sketching to others. She has published three small books of local sketches capturing her surroundings and daily observations.

As Picasso said, “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary” — a sentiment Maureen shares wholeheartedly in her creative practice.