artists
every piece has a story, and every story begins with an artist
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND · FIGURATIVE & ABSTRACT MIXED-MEDIA ARTIST
Kerryn Levy
Kerryn Levy is an Auckland-based contemporary artist whose figurative and abstract paintings explore stillness, identity and emotional presence. Working with layered colour, texture, fabric and paper, she creates quietly atmospheric works that invite close looking and bring an enduring presence to the spaces they inhabit.
about
Kerryn Levy’s practice explores the connections between identity, memory and place through figurative and abstract mixed-media painting.
Born in Auckland, Kerryn studied Interior Design at TAFE NSW in Australia before continuing her training at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney.
Her early career was in illustration, completing commissions for clients including David Jones, The Sydney Morning Herald and fashion publications such as Vogue Australia.
After returning to Auckland, Kerryn developed a distinctive figurative painting practice. Her work has since been exhibited and collected through solo and group exhibitions, including presentations at Agora Gallery in New York and Artport at Auckland International Airport.
Kerryn is drawn to the calm presence of a figure, the atmosphere held within a landscape and the traces that gradually accumulate across a surface.
Working with acrylic paint, fabric and paper, she builds layered compositions in which texture becomes an active part of the work. Painted calico, translucent passages and visible marks create a sense of history, allowing earlier layers to remain present within the finished painting.
Her figurative works often place contemplative women within landscapes that suggest belonging and an inner life. Auckland’s volcanic forms provide a particular point of connection between the figure and the surrounding environment.
Within Kerryn’s abstract work, loops, grids and fragments of symbols explore relationships between connection and constraint, structure and spontaneity.
Her background in illustration and interior design continues to influence her attention to composition, colour and the relationship between an artwork and the space in which it is displayed.
Kerryn’s paintings reward close observation, revealing their history gradually through subtle marks, shifting textures and partially obscured layers.
Because sometimes what remains beneath the surface gives a painting its most enduring presence.
Kerryn Levy
A contemplative woman stands against mist-softened greens, with the rounded form of Maungawhau rising behind her.
In Daughters of the Maunga, Kerryn Levy places a solitary figure within a textured landscape of muted green, blue and grey. Long dark hair frames her softly coloured face, while a deep red top adds warmth to the veiled surroundings.
The first work in Kerryn’s Auckland Volcano Series, this painting explores connections between identity, place and memory within the landscape of Tāmaki Makaurau. Layers of acrylic paint, painted calico and rice paper create a tactile surface, giving the figure and Maungawhau (Mount Eden) a quiet, enduring presence.
This painting would bring depth and a sense of place to an entryway, living room or study, complementing natural timber, soft neutrals and green furnishings.
Contemplative · Textural · Grounded
Original mixed media — acrylic, paper and fabric on stretched canvas · 2025 76.2 cm wide × 76.2 cm high × 3.81 cm deep
Some room images show Daughters of the Maunga alongside another work by Kerryn Levy. Each artwork is sold individually.