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ONCE UPON A PAINTING Art of Energy
It's time for a new story.
About the Book
Most of my paintings are wrapped in stories of why and how they were born, and Once Upon a Painting weaves the words and the images together. As the paintings reveal their stories they show us an energetic language that is an innate part of our human heritage but that most of us have forgotten.
Somewhere in our human time-line, we shut down our natural sensitivities to the subtle and powerful energetic fields that live in the spaces around us and all living things. These dynamic fields enliven, enfold and inform us, and are part of who we are and what we can become.
We are powerful receiver transmitters with sensitivities that extend way beyond our skin. The paintings are nudging us to reawaken these sensitivities. It's time to let them tease us with their magic, their memory, and their mystery. It's time for a new story.
If you can't stretch to a painting just now, this book offers an image-rich alternative as either a keepsake or a gift. Over 100 images of selected paintings grace the 228 pages. The book is now available in both softcover and hardcover options and is 255mm x 205mm x 15 mm.
Buying in NZ and Australia
For friends in NZ and Australia the book can be ordered from this website and printed right here in our little land. Please use the 'Add to cart' button above.
Buying in USA/Europe
For friends nearer USA and Europe, the book can be printed and shipped directly from USA to save you freight costs.
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My Story
I started painting to make sense of some experiences I had that were beyond the language of words. After over a decade of writing feature articles for New Zealand magazines, something else was seeking expression. It was unseen, subtle and soulful. The soul speaks in music, movement, metaphor...and image. I started to paint. That was over 30 years ago.
Most of the paintings I did from that time have found their way onto the walls of some special people and are not included on this website. But I feel they have more work to do out in the world. Especially now. This book offers that opportunity.
I live and work in my coastal studio in the Far North of New Zealand.
Reviews
What a wonder-filled read and experience. This is a very unusual book and reminds me of ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ as well as ‘Jonathon Livingstone Seagull’. It’s written by a gifted wordsmith and the word mastery is a pleasure to read. I love the stories of how the paintings evolved.
The writer’s journey is fascinating, and her skills to detect energy are remarkable. My journey through science and meditation appears to be on a parallel path exploring universal consciousness and our human interaction with it.
I wonder where this book will go.
Barry - Whangarei NZ
Once Upon a Painting is a book I keep coming back to. It’s both calming and deeply inspiring. Each time I open it, I’m drawn into the stories behind the paintings and the way they connect art, energy, and human sensitivity. The writing and imagery together feel like a quiet reminder of something ancient and special, a beautiful invitation to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the unseen magic that surrounds us.
Vanessa B - Kerikeri
Wow! Once upon a Painting is a vibrant, vibrating, stunning book. The words, music, paintings and quotes in this book are full of soul, and soul is hard to put into words. But Wendy has found those words.
The page after page of beautiful paintings and the stories behind each one, not only bring the pages to life, but I also found myself seeing and hearing the beauty and energy in my own outside world. This collection is so inspiring it really feels like looking into and hearing, the heart of each stone, flower, and instrument. And actually of life itself. It is a reminder to stop scrolling through life, to slow down, to absorb the detail, to enjoy and to listen. This book has really planted a seed…a beautiful gift.
Sheryl - Whangarei NZ
This book is a triumph. I am so pleased Wendy has found a way to bring some of her huge body of work to a wider audience, and to offer us an understanding of each painting's creation, motivation and meaning.
This is a book of value for humanity.
Sue H - Kerikeri NZ
Wendy's book is the culmination of many years of her life and work as a writer and artist. It speaks of her deep connection with the ocean in all its rhythms, and of rocks and plants. It speaks of vibrations, and of music that reverberates from across the spheres to remind us of where we come from, and join us back into the continuum of life.
This is a book you will want to keep close at hand, to pick up and feast on as you discover more about Wendy, and more about your own special presence on our planet.
Barbara - Kerikeri NZ
This book not only introduces the reader to Wendy's paintings, but also provides you with the inspiration behind them.
I particularly liked the chapter 'Hands That See' and was impressed with Wendy's portrayal of hands.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a visual feast.
Nicole - Kerikeri NZ