Painting Brush Strokes with Soul and Story
Wendy Shipman Artist
I’m Wendy Shipman, a New Zealand artist drawn to the quiet places where colour, memory, and faith meet. I work in gouache, building each painting slowly, letting form and feeling settle into harmony. My practice is shaped by the invisible architecture of composition—those subtle lines and balances that hold a work together like breath beneath the surface. I paint to honour story, to notice the beauty in small moments, and to create spaces where others can pause and find themselves again. Through MakeHer Studio, I walk alongside women as they rediscover creativity as a pathway to wholeness, identity, and gentle transformation.
Learn more about my journey into gouache paintings by visiting my Portfolio.
“I was thrilled to buy your painting
It is a privilege to have your art on my wall, and I will always cherish it.
I have been searching for a picture of the island,
but nothing has captivated me like yours-it is truly special."
Fine Art
My original has gone to a new home, but I have a limited number of fifty high-quality prints available.
Print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag | A2 Size (59 cm x 42 cm) | Framed in a Modern Rubberwood Frame
“Mares’ Tails” captures the delicate sweep of cirrus clouds drifting above Kapiti Island—high, windswept formations long regarded as signals of change. The old maritime proverb, “Mares’ tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships to carry low sails,” echoes through this scene, where weather and water shape the rhythm of coastal life along the Cook Strait.
Printed on archival Hahnemühle Photo Rag, the artwork preserves the softness and nuance of each brushstroke. The cotton paper’s velvety texture enhances the atmospheric detail, offering a tactile experience that echoes the original. Framed and matted, it’s ready to hang in a space that values heritage, storytelling, and quiet reflection.
This gouache print is framed in a neutral-toned, clean-lined rubberwood frame, with a white matt, designed to complement modern interiors while preserving the warmth of tradition. Ready to hang in a space that values heritage, storytelling, and quiet reflection. At A2 size, (420 × 594 mm) it makes a striking yet elegant statement in any space.
Original Gouache Painting | A1 Size | Framed in a Modern Rubberwood Frame
Over several months, I developed Legacy of the Three Graces as a tribute to the enduring values of faith, hope, and love—virtues passed through three generations of women in my family. These qualities breathe vibrancy into life and shape the legacy we leave behind.
This original gouache painting is framed in a neutral-toned, clean-lined rubberwood frame, with a white matt, designed to complement modern interiors while preserving the warmth of tradition. At A1 size (841 × 594 mm), it makes a striking yet elegant statement in any space.
Original Gouache Painting | A1 Size | Framed in a Modern Rubberwood Frame
Strength in Service is an original A1 framed gouache painting. This figurative work highlights the quiet authority of a female server, reimagining service as strength and dignity. Inspired by Arthur Wesley Dow’s compositional principles, the painting draws all focus to the central figure, framed against light and architectural grandeur. Burgundy tones, natural light, and symbolic context create a regal yet intimate atmosphere. Perfect for collectors seeking contemporary gouache art that blends tradition with modern design, this piece makes a striking statement in any interior.