Artist's bio & ​RÉSUMÉ

Judi Lapsley Miller’s art is inspired by the wildlife and land of Aotearoa-New Zealand, the awesome forces that went into making them (and continue to make them), and the tensions between the pre-human and modern world. She strives through her art to advocate for endangered species and spaces by exploring themes like the tenacity of life in the face of environmental destruction, what it means to be endangered, and the post-human world. Many of her images are inspired from her experiences with volunteering in wildlife conservation projects, especially with her beloved endangered kākā parrots.
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Photography is just the first step in Judi’s creative process – she digitally blends and masks layers of photographs, graphics, scanned ephemera and textures, lighting and colour adjustments, and digital brushstrokes to form an image that is more painting than photograph. Photo artistry and digital compositing gives her the freedom to expand her viewpoint and delve deep into her imagination. She came to photo artistry by chance, having become frustrated with the limits and rigid rules of wildlife photography that precluded her from telling the intimate stories she could see unfolding around her. After attending a compositing workshop by Shona Jaray, she stumbled upon Sebastian Michael’s online photo-artistic training courses, and completed the year-long professional photo artistry training course “AWAKE” in 2016. She is currently in Michael’s advanced “KAIZEN” group, is an active member of the Artists Down Under – Australia & New Zealand group, and is a member artist of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. She is inspired by (and has done many online courses with) the imaginative and surrealist photo artists Julieanne Kost and Brooke Shaden.
​In her images, Judi exposes her interpretation of the inner world of others – their thoughts and feelings, their hopes and desires – in a form tangible to the human viewer that she hopes engenders empathy and understanding with other living creatures.
Judi and her photo artistic work has appeared in the NZ Photographer magazine, D-Photo magazine, Australian Photography magazine, the Independent Herald newspaper, Living the PhotoArtistic Life magazine (multiple issues), and Artists Down Under magazine (multiple issues). She has exhibited in multiple group exhibitions and three solo exhibitions in New Zealand. In the international arena, she has been awarded a Solo exhibition, and twice placed 2nd in the photography and digital media category and 4th and 5th in the overall category in Light Space & Time online gallery exhibitions. Her straight photography work is used widely for advocacy and education purposes, including for Zealandia EcoSanctuary, Forest & Bird, NZ Birds Online, Wellington City Council, the Ornithological Society of NZ, and other wildlife and conservation organizations. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand.

Upcoming & Current Exhibitions

  • next show to be announced​...

Solo Exhibitions

  • 1 July - 31 August 2019: "Visions of Zealandia - 2" solo exhibition. Zealandia EcoSanctuary gallery, Wellington (multiple sales). (more...)
  • 9 April - 21 May 2018: "Birds on a Wire" solo exhibition. Edges Art+Framing Gallery. Exhibiting nineteen works from Birds of a feather and Flights of fancy series (multiple sales).​
  • 15 Sep - 15 Oct 2017: Light Space & Time online art gallery - Solo Art Exhibition. 15 pieces on the birds of Zealandia. See the exhibition on YouTube.
  • ​1 Jun – 1 Sep 2017: “Visions of Zealandia” solo exhibition. Zealandia EcoSanctuary gallery, Wellington. 11 works from three series: Birds of a feather, Flights of fancy, and Visions of Zealandia (multiple sales). (more...)​​

Group Exhibitions 2020

  • ​May-July 2020: "For the Birds" Cash & Carry Art Show at Zealandia EcoSanctuary. (multiple sales)​
  • Mar-May 2020: "Birds Eye View", group exhibition with Karen Rankin Neal, Carol Theologo, and Rachel Walker at the Orion Powerhouse Gallery in Akaroa (multiple sales). Exhibition was cancelled due to covid-9 lockdown, but a virtual exhibition was run online and a "table-top" weekend exhibition run onsite at the gallery to end the show. The gallery selected "A Quick Study (toutouwai)" to donate to the Akaroa Health Hub art collection.
  • 7 Dec 2019 - 12 Jan 2020: NZAFA Summer Exhibition. Exhibited "Professor Polly" and "From Whence Cometh Evil". 
  • 23 Nov 2019 - 12 Jan 2020: Art to Go NZAFA Cash & Carry Exhibition. Exhibited "A: Apteryx owenii" and "H: Hemiphaga chathamensis" encaustic pieces.

Group Exhibitions 2019

  • 23-29 Nov 2019: Canvas 200 NZAFA Fundraiser. Exhibited/Donated "Incoming (kererū)" and "Pushing up daisies", encaustic mixed media pieces.
  • ​26 Sep - 31 Oct 2019: "Bringing Back the Birds", Bowen Exhibition Space, New Zealand Parliament. Hosted by the Honorable Eugenie Sage.  (more...)
  • Oct - Nov 2019: "Sanctuary Stories: the art of wildlife advocacy." Zealandia EcoSanctuary. Curated and designed the exhibition, and exhibited with the Storyteller Group with special guests from the Art of Birding photography challenge.​
  • 18-20 Oct 2019: "OPp ARt: form from chaos", Somervell Church, Remuera, Auckland. Invited.
  • 4 May - 16 June 2019: Cleveland National Art Awards, Otago Art Society, Dunedin. Accepted for exhibition "A quick study (toutouwai)".
  • 29 Mar - 22 Apr 2019: NZAFA Autumn Exhibition. Exhibiting "Two hearts beat as one" and "The ballerinas" (sold).
  • 5 Dec 2018 - 29 Jan 2019: NZAFA Summer Cash & Carry Exhibition. Exhibiting "I shall ride every storm" and "At what cost forever". 
Group EXHIBITIONS 2018
  • 29 Nov 2018: For the Birds Art Show - one night fundraiser for Zealandia EcoSanctuary. Organizer and exhibitor. (multiple sales)
  • Oct-Nov 2018: Sanctuary Storytellers photo-essay exhibition at Zealandia EcoSanctuary. Curator and designer, and contributing editor and photographer. Zealandia EcoSanctuary gallery, Wellington.
  • 20 Oct - 17 Nov 2018: Spring Cash & Carry Exhibition, Akaroa Orion Powerhouse Gallery, Akaroa. Exhibiting 4 framed and 4 unframed fine art prints. (multiple sales)
  • 12-28 Oct 2018: Little Sprouts Fundraiser Art Event. Pātaka Art + Museum, Porirua, Wellington. Donated "Pushing up daisies". (sold)
  • 4-30 Sep 2018: Spring Exhibition. New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington. Exhibiting "The Boffin" and "The Spy" (40cm first edition embellished prints). 
  • 24-29 Aug 2018:  Canvas 200 Fundraiser Exhibition. NZ Academy of Fine Arts. Exhibiting "The Boffin" and "The Spy" (18cm first edition embellished prints; pictures donated as fundraiser).
  • 16 June - 8 July 2018: NZ Academy of Fine Arts Winter Exhibition. Exhibiting Dreams of Freedom and Autumn.
  • 1 – 4 June 2018: NZ Art Show, Wellington. Exhibiting six pieces. (multiple sales).
  • 19 Dec 2017 - 13 Feb 2018: NZ Academy of Fine Arts Summer Exhibition. Exhibiting "It's about time" and "Abracadabra (kererū)". 
Group EXHIBITIONS 2017
  • 27 Oct - 4 Nov 2017: Taranaki National Art Awards Exhibition, Opunake, Taranaki. Exhibiting "Emergence of flight".
  • 9 Sep – ​9 Oct 2017: Spring Exhibition. New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington. Exhibiting “All at sea” (sold) and “He came to me on the beat of a wing”.  
  • 1 Sep – 30 Sep 2017: Sanctuary Stories. Curator and designer, and contributing writer and photographer. Zealandia EcoSanctuary gallery, Wellington.
  • 29 Jul – 2 Sep 2017: Invercargill Licencing Trust Art Awards 2017. Southland Art Society, Invercargill. “Invasion Day” accepted for hanging.
  • 20 – 25 Jul 2017: Canvas 200 fundraiser. New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington. Exhibiting “What’s up (kererū)” and “Arise the rare and endangered Kāpiti Island kākāk phœnix” (pictures donated as fundraiser).
  • 17 Jun – 16 Jul 2017: Winter Exhibition. New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington. Exhibiting “Adrift” (sold) and “Emergence of flight” (sold). 
  • 2 – 5 Jun 2017: NZ Art Show, Wellington. Exhibiting “All at sea” (sold), “He came to me on the beat of a wing” (sold), “Adrift” and “Emergence of flight”.
  • 29 Apr – 28 May 2017: Cleveland National Art Awards. Otago Art Society, Dunedin. Accepted for exhibition “Bursting out” (sold).​
Group EXHIBITIONS 2016
  • 23 – 25 Sep 2016: PSNZ Central Regional Salon. Kapiti Camera Club, Porirua. Open digital – ​acceptance “Pushing up daisies”.

Online Exhibitions

Gallery Stockists

Selected prints are available from the following galleries and stores:

Publicity

Bibliography - 2020

  • ​Jan-Feb 2020: A creative New Year for wildlife and nature artists. The New Zealand Artist Magazine, Series 7, Vol 2, #38, pg 52-53. Article encouraging creatives to join the Art of Birding photography challenge.
Bibliography - Previous years

Competitions

  • 2018: First in Landscape category in Galapagos Conservation Trust photography competition. 
  • 2016: Honourable mention in Galapagos Conservation Trust photo competition. Photo published in 2017 calendar.
  • 2016: Supreme winner of the Spirit of Zealandia photography competition; winner “Birds” category, honorable mention for “Landscapes” category. Judged by National Geographic wildlife photographer Joel Sartore.
  • 2015: Won Public Address Tūrangiwaewae "A Place to Stand" Photo competition.
  • 2015: Whakatane Harbour Care Group "Birds A Plenty" photo competition Kākā Kura - Judge's Special Merit Award - Adult Creative Section
  • 2015: Winning image for Neighbourly, representing suburb of Ngaio.
  • 2014: Focus on Galapagos Photo Competition, second place in wildlife behaviour category. Published two photos in 2015 Galapagos calendar.

Community Contributor

  • 2018-current: Art of Birding Wildlife & Nature Photography Challenge creator and group convener. 
  • 2018-current: Australian Photographic Society Conceptual Art Portfolio Awards mentor.
  • 2017-current: AWAKE photo-art community coach.
  • 2018-current: Zealandia volunteer gallery and exhibitions facilitator (including artist liaison and show selection committee).
  • 2003-current: Zealandia online and social media, contributing writing and photography across multiple channels. Creator of the annual fund-raising calendar. Moderator of the Zealandia Visitor Art & Photography Facebook group. From 2015-2020, convener of the Sanctuary Storytellers volunteer group. 
  • ​NZ Birds Online contributor (kākā, red-footed booby, Chatham Island shag).
  • Wikimedia Commons contributor

Professional and other memberships

  • 2017-current: Artists Down Under – Australia and New Zealand
  • 2016-current: Member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts (practicing artist)
  • 2010-current: Ornithological Society of New Zealand
  • 2003-current: Zealandia
  • 2003-current: Forest & Bird

Education

  • 1987-1999: BSc, BSc(Hons, 1st), PhD in Psychology from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand