Mid-century 20th century furniture by Jane Brenkley, with New Zealand Maori themed decoration

Hannah Eliza Jane Brenkley (1882 - 1973) (nee Hopkins) was a New Zealand artist and craftswoman. She was born in Norsewood, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Her parents were Scandinavian and had immigrated on board the Hovding. When she was five years old, she started sketching; a family member gave her a paint set and she began to paint in watercolours of landscapes, flowers and herbs. She never formally studied art or painting, but became a sought-after artist.

When she was 18, she married sawmiller Thomas Brenkley. The couple lived most of their lives on their dairy farm in the Norsewood-Ormondville area and raised 10 children.

Brenkley was also a wood carver and produced domestic items such as tables, fire screens, umbrella stands, bookends, paperknives, breadboards, decorated boxes and eggcups. These were created with a pocketknife and paintbrush. Brenkley admired Maori culture and many of her items feature artistic more... elements of Maori style, such as using pa?ua shell for the eyes of carved figures. A piece of her wood carving work was displayed in the women's section of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in 1939.

In 1999, the Hawke's Bay Cultural Trust staged a solo exhibition of Brenkley's work, entitled 'Jane Brenkley: a path through the bush'. less...