About the Portrait and Artist

Portrait Artist – Heather Main (also known as Busch)

About Heather

Heather is an accomplished artist, with a diploma of fine arts and sculpture (Ilam School of Fine Arts, Canterbury) and a diploma in teaching (Wellington Teachers College).

Her artistic career encompasses paintings including portraits, publishing books and creating stained glass windows.

Heather’s Works

Heather has available a beautiful limited edition book of her portraits titled “Within & Beyond – The Paintings of Heather Busch” 

Find out more about the portraits and this boxed and numbered edition published by Hazard Press.

About the Portrait

Heather speaks about her process of creating Celia’s portrait.

Ces speaks as Heathers ‘Best Woman’ at her wedding  in September 2000 to Brian Main – held at Shed 11 where the NZ  Portrait Gallery is now housed.

Heather talks about her friendship with Ces.

Heather talks about her life as an artist.

Acknowledgements and Thanks

I would like to thank the many people who have loved and admired Celia and her work and who have helped me considerably to create this portrait.

Thanks to Celia’s daughter Rebekah Henderson and son Gene Hyde, who gave me their support when I was applying for this commission. Karl Menzies for his skills creating the web site and QR codes for this sound portrait. Radio NZ for allowing me to use excerpts from their interviews with Celia. Tony Hedges for editing sound files so well, generously and always quickly.  Dave Smith and Kiwi Henare for their enthusiasm and ideas for ways of presenting sound in a gallery. Thanks also for the written Maori translations, by Dr Huirangi Waikerepuru. Sarah Hunter for her generous advice and expertise. Tanya Metcalf for patiently teaching and and encouraging  me to learn a Te Reo Maori welcome for the portrait unveiling. Nicole Swain from Fine Signs  for her printing skills and Dominic Taylor from Hyman Dynamo, for his routering skills.

All the following people, who generously gave their time, thoughts and emotions sharing their experiences of Celia for these recordings to make up The Sound Portrait. Kathleen Pivac, Jennifer Leahy, Gayle Roach, Briony Ellis, Helen Milner, Jacqui Moyes, Adele Bull, Leslie Karantonis, Pamela Meekings-Stewart, Gene Hyde, Michelle Richards, Ralph McAllister, Jamie Sandelin, Gatland Avery, Phillip Brumby, Simon Delos Reyes, Rebekah Henderson,

Thanks also to these people who gave ideas and enthusiasm: Amanda Millar, Belinda Walshe, Leslie and Tony Karantonis, Jordan Nikora-Baker, Michel Alkhouri, Kathryn Saville

I am so delighted and appreciative that Naia Alkhouri has composed a song and music especially for Celia and performed with her group at the portrait’s launch. Naia sings, her brother Luka plays the trombone, Caterina Moreno plays the guitar and Fintan Spencer is on piano. Thanks to the children’s parents for their support.

A big thanks to the supportive trio of women at the NZ Portrait Gallery, Gaelen Macdonald, director, Ruby Eade, gallery assistant, and Anita Robertson, registrar. I have enjoyed your support and camaraderie.

AND a special thanks to my husband, Brian. A public acknowledgement to him for support of me both emotionally and practically, through the lengthy grieving process of Ces’s death and my obsessive search to find her in my artwork. Thanks also for making the frame and display box to house Celia’s portrait.

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