Carole Prentice - BFA

Carole Prentice was awarded her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2002.

Born in Auckland in the 50s, Carole's early years were spent growing up in the working class suburb of Mt Wellington, squeezed between the Tamaki River and Maungarei (Mount Wellington). As a child Carole clambered up the steep sides of Maungarei many times to play, but as an artist she climbs mountains only to look more critically at landscapes she thinks she knows. From such a vantage point Carole considers how tenuous Pakeha occupation of the land is and imagines ways in which traces of much earlier indigenous occupation echo and endure.

Carole left the education system at 15 and returned at 44. In order to attend university, she on-sold a small public commercial business she had built up over 7 years. As a mature adult student, taking the opportunity to attend University for the first time and completing a degree was a brave feat.

To Carole's surprise, campus life was fun as well as challenging, she described it to her friends as "just like playing all day". Her greatest memories of her days at University are the atmosphere itself, walking around the multitude of grounds and buildings, always going somewhere, and always being greeted by something new and exciting.

After moving to the East Coast Carole was exposed to a lot of outdoor leisure activities… surfing, diving, fishing, and walking, these are just some of the ways she likes to spend her spare time. Participating in those types of activities provided a great foundation for observing and recording the various landscapes which lie at the centre of her art.

"You're never too old to achieve your goals and if that involves completing a University degree then go for it. You'll find all the support you need right there and you'll never look back (except with great memories)," says Carole.

As an emerging fine art painter Carole's first major public presentation `FINDING LONGITUDE' was at the Whangarei Arts Museum 15 August - 19 September 2005.