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What is the process you go through when starting a new painting?

During the day I sit in my studio, draw pictures, drive around and take photos of things. I always draw really accurate pictures first. Then I get a canvas, mix up some paint and begin painting. They usually take 3-4 weeks. Then I take them to a gallery. They put it on a wall. "Here is a painting by Hamish Allan - who wants to buy it?" I also have a photographer who has a $50,000 camera. The photographer takes very highly detailed photos to make reproductions on cards etc. This is a good way to make extra money. He is always trying to make money out of creating art which is quite difficult.

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If there was one celebrity you would want to meet who would it be? Clint Eastwood

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If you turned the lawnmower upside down would it turn into a helipcopter?

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What do you think of the new flag changes? I'm not sure. I think if it's going to be a new flag, it needs to be a bit different.

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Do you think finger painting would be good to do? Yes, definitely. Got a special look - quite bold. I haven't done any finger painting for awhile.

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Some artists like to be spontaneous. Canvas - paint - go for it. Or draw first. Then use drawing first then the painting. Some artists draw with pencil first on the canvas - a light pencil. Maybe 2/3 coats.

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One the most recent paintings I've done is of Buzzy Bees. I call it Busy Bees. They're flying through the air.

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What kind of camera do you have? I just use a plain digital camera. On the way home I'll take some photos. In Riccarton there's some unusual square houses.

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Birdwood Ave - if you're going down that road, look for the Union Jack. That's my house.

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The cars you can see in these paintings you don't see very often. Lot of my ideas are from my childhood. Good thing is people that are my age have the money to buy my paintings because they remind them of their childhood.

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Do you like paintings that are simple? Yes, there's usually a lot more detail that you think.

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Have there been any paintings where you think aren't very good but have sold quickly? All the time. Especially when I've sat in front of the painting for a long time. So when it's finished, I sign it, give it to gallery and say 'seeya later'. But later on, a couple of months on I see it and I like them.

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What is the best painting of yours you've sold? Probably the lawnmower painting.

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What's the most expensive painting you've seen? $100,000 in Christchurch, Bill Hammond. He went down to the Auckland Islands where there is a lot of sea birds - made extinct, hunted for feathers. He used them in his paintings. Turned birds into people.

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Yes you have to have a beard to be a serious artist. If you're a woman you need your hair coloured or to have a tattoo. ;)

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Did you inherit any abilities from your parents? My father used to draw pictures of farm machinery. My mother used to get out colouring books on rainy days. She got me to enter an art competition when I was little. My mother was a nurse, my father was a digger driver. He was the cool father - there were no other digger drivers around

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For what you get money wise for your paintings, is it worth the time and effort you put into them? Initially you don't get much at all - maybe 10 years later I got a decent amount of money. My partner Kelly, is a midwife so she had a regular income. So it worked out well in the beginning. Now we share the breadwinning. :)

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If you did go overseas would you like to go to Japan and look at the cherry blossoms? Yes, also Italy. Would like to see some old paintings.

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I only paint birds I know - not birds I haven't met yet.

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How much did the lawnmower painting sell for? Less than a new car, more than a new lawnmower. :)

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What was the painting that took the longest? It was size of smart board. birds, boats - took him 8/9 weeks. Do pencil drawings first - very accurate. Then paint that drawing.

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What's your favourite painting of all time? Don Binney, Rita Angus, Robin White. Overseas: Da Vinci, Picasso, Chuck Close - does great big portraits. Uses a pixalation method. I haven't got one particular art work - a whole lot I really like. I like looking at paintings that make me think.

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What place are most of your paintings of?

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what was your favourite part of art?

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Why did you start art?

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Have you worked with other artists?

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What is your favorite art quote

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Are your parents good painters?

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What made you start painting?

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What was your first painting you ever did? It was a design, a cross within a square. More abstract than a landscape.

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What got you started with painting?

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How old were you when you first started painting?

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Who was your inspiration? Not really, there was Art at primary school, but no Art department at high school. Went to another school in Year 9 for Art - a teacher said he was quite good at it.

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What gave you the inspiration to start painting?

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What is the most expensive painting you have done?

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Do you like making art?

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What made you get into art?

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What would you like to paint next?

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What would be your favourite artwork that you've made?

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Where do you get your art ideas? From everywhere. Today when I arrived, there was a swallow so I might put swallows in my next painting.

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Have you been inspired by any other painter?

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What would be your favourite artwork?

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What age did you start art?

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How did you start liking painting?

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What inspired you to begin with art?

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Do you have a favourite place to visit for the beauty? Just where I live. Every morning I get up and make Martha's lunch. Get 4 pieces of bread from freezer, pesto, cut in half. 2 pieces of fruit. Seeya. Then go walking for 30 minutes around Beckenham - see birds, trees, houses, cars. So many ideas right in front of you. I haven't been overseas.

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What was one of your funniest moments during painting or taking the photos? Every 2 years I paint a painting of my daughter, Martha, who is now 14. She's a dancer - hip hop/jazz. Painting was in a dance pose - I painted her with a match in her fingers on fire. Lots of matches around her. She thought it was funny. When she was 4 years younger, butterflies landed on her and caterpillars on her.

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How do you decide what pictures to use?

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Have you worked with any other artists? I have but not to create one artwork, but as a group exhibition. Present it as a theme.