The paintings of Geoff Thornley are made quietly, ruminatively in a slightly “Shaker-like” studio on the north shore of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour. Emma and I often begin our treasured visits to him by boat and certainly the harbour is an undeniably dramatic piece of terrain to cross - the wider Auckland region containing no less than 53 volcanoes, at least 7 of them visible as we cross the water, the deficiency of ozone makes the light blinding and there is always the very real threat of four seasons in one day. My sense is that Thornley really loves this landscape, but to work he has to turn his back on its pushy charms and startling luminosity, because the terrain that he has long explored prefers other geologies. #foxjensengallery #foxjensenmccrory #geoffthornley #painting #painter #terrain #upcoming #afternoonlight