Luke Hollis

Luke Hollis is a New Zealand figurative and landscape artist based in Auckland where he teaches drawing at Auckland University of Technology. He is particularly known for his fine portraiture, capturing the beauty of his subjects in their expressions and his use of soft, glowing light.

Fuelled by a passion for capturing the real and fantasy alike, Luke’s pieces mix contemporary with traditional styles accentuated by loose and painterly brushwork. He is continually developing his work through experimentation. One of his primary passions is conceptual art with most of his free time spent on his often bizarre figurative pencil works.

Luke is influenced by traditional artists like Nicolai Fechin, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Whilmer Dewing, as well as contemporary artists such as Richard Schmidt, Zhaoming Wu, Morgan Weistling, and Ron Hicks, to name a few. His line work has received high acclamation by fellow contemporary artists and is a strong foundation for his detailed oil pieces.

A self-taught artist, Luke has been painting professionally since 2004. He is known throughout the country, having begun his painting career in the Bay of Plenty followed by sell-out shows in Whakatane and Tauranga in the early 2000s. Viewed as one of New Zealand's leading young emerging artists, he was awarded runner-up in the Molly Morpeth Canaday art awards in 2004, followed by First Equal in the same awards in 2005 where he was also honoured as the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

Luke has received notable acclaim from art critics and the art community alike. His works are held in private collections both nationally and internationally.

Art by the River is a modern fine arts Whanganui gallery, opened in December 2024. The gallery features a mix of emerging and established NZ artists, alongside an exclusive art Collectables selection of NZ art for sale. As art dealers and collectors, we include rare and sought-after artworks by internationally recognised artists such as Gretchen Albrecht, Banksy, Damien Hirst, Ralph Hotere and, Andy Warhol. We are committed to supporting NZ artists through a regular artwork exhibition in-house, connecting both NZ and international art collectors with meaningful artwork, and contributing to Whanganui's vibrant cultural environment.