Don Wilkie - Aviation - Portraits - Nature - Artist Profile

Born in the early 1950’s my interest in art started at a very young age where I would do drawing and painting of aircraft to put up on my bedroom wall in Wellington New Zealand. I always wanted to join the Air Force but while at intermediate it was discovered I had poor eyesight and needed glasses.

My career took me to Auckland where I was a laboratory technician processing colour film and prints for advertising agencies. From there I went into the printing industry having my own company. I shifted to Napier around 1995 in the industry and also took up positions on the board of trustees with the local museum and the Art Deco Trust.

During January 2012 I went out and purchased some oils and canvas and took up painting again. After I put my first painting up on my Facebook site I was asked to do my first commission. This was for the local Air Training Corp to raise money, it was of the 485 (NZ) squadron and it raised over $3000 for them. Since then I have had numerous exhibitions and commissions which I have done while still holding down a full time job. I have a love of history which has helped me research my paintings, which lends me towards realism in my painting and an eye for detail.

I am self-taught and pick subjects that will stretch me to achieve new goals which I find very satisfying and challenging. Most of my work is sold over seas and some are now at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland.