Anna Jepson

Anna Jepson is a contemporary artist and portrait painter of Ngāi Tahu and Danish descent, living and working in Hawke's Bay Te Matau-a-Māui, New Zealand.

With more than two decades of painting experience, Anna works across two distinct bodies of work.

Contemporary Art Anna's contemporary practice is expressive and large in scale, working across mixed media to create bold, layered works that explore the human form. The figure emerges through texture and tone, partially revealed, emotionally raw, moving between abstraction and realism in a way that invites the viewer to feel before they think. Her work in this space also extends to richly rendered animal subjects, most notably the horse, depicted with sculptural presence and a striking use of gold and warm metallic tones that give the works an almost mythological quality. 

Portraiture Anna's portraiture is grounded in the classical tradition, informed by years of dedicated study at some of the world's most respected ateliers.  Including the Charles H. Cecil Atelier in Florence , the International Summer Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, and Studio Escalier in Paris. This year she will study at the Florence Academy of Art, continuing to deepen her work in portraiture and the figure from life. Anna travels to Europe every year to study, bringing a rare combination of rigorous classical training and lived artistic experience to every portrait she paints.

Her work is held in private collections throughout New Zealand. Anna is represented by Mobile Gallery Auckland, Muse Gallery Havelock North, and Kura Gallery Wellington, and welcomes commissions in both contemporary art and portraiture.

Finalist — Adams Portraiture Awards  |  Shortlisted — Royal Academy London Summer Show  |  Hawke's Bay Wine Auction Artist 2020  |  Finalist — Kīingi Tūheitia Portrait Awards

Exhibitions

  • Finalist in the Norsewear Art Exhibition 1994

  • Art Feast 2002

  • Fine Arts Diploma group show 2002

  • Art Rage 2003

  • Fine Arts Diploma completion group show 2004 

  • Salon de Refuse Exhibition, Wine Country Gallery 2004

  • Exhibition wth Mirjam Lugt, Wine Country Gallery 2005

  • Finalist Adams Portraiture Exhibition, Wellington 2006

  • Humanities Group Exhibition 2014/15/16/17/18/19

  • Finalist in East Contemporary Art Exhibition 2016

  • Tondo Group Show Muse Gallery 2017

  • Finalist in The Hawkes Bay Review 2017

  • Lysaght Watt Trust Art Award 2018, Taranaki 20

  • Tondo Group Show Muse Gallery 2018/19

  • Selected to be the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction Artist 2020

  • Selected for East Contemporary Art Exhibition 2020

  • Shortlisted for the Royal Academy London Summer Show 2021

  • Finalist in the Adams Portraiture Awards 2022

  • Finalist in the Kiiingi Tuheitia Portrait Awards 2023

  • Gallery Representation:

  • Mobile Gallery, Auckland

  • Muse Gallery, Havelock North

  • Kura Gallery Wellington