Painting Brush Strokes with Soul and Story
Welcome
I’m Wendy Shipman — a contemplative artist and creative guide based on the Kāpiti Coast of Aotearoa New Zealand. My paintings explore narrative figuration: the quiet interplay of light, memory, and emotional inheritance.
I paint the small human moments that steady us — a gesture, a shadow, a held breath — and I teach others to see these moments too. Through MakeHer Studio, I help artists create clarity through value, contrast, and emotional presence, using story as a way of seeing.
You’re welcome here.
Learn more about my journey into gouache paintings by visiting my Portfolio.
MakeHer Let your Maker define you began as a personal journey to identity and restoration.
The artwork grew from the same heartbeat.
Now in development the course Painting Brush Strokes with Soul and Story brings these threads together, helping women express their own stories through contemplative creative practice.
A book, a body of art, and a course - all telling one story
““I read MakeHer with tears in my eyes. Wendy has a rare gift for capturing the Father’s heart with every word she writes. Each page is filled with beautiful, tender truth — rich in grace, compassion, and biblical insight — gently tugging at the heart and making every chapter deeply relatable.”
“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.