Townsend Fields is fortunate to have entered the development realm when the prominence of the ecological and cultural significance was at the forefront of the sector. The family behind Townsend Fields’ location are two long-standing local land owners, Jim and Susan Wakefield. The current land owners are passionately ensuring the area retains its natural beauty while subsequently creating a subdivision where home-owners can build to their specific needs. The Wakefield family have a philanthropic history dedicated to the benefit of Canterbury’s residents and art precincts.
The streets at Townsend Fields are named after some of New Zealand’s renowned artists, paying tribute to their work, while also acknowledging the Wakefield’s contribution to Canterbury’s art scene. The following streets are celebrated and named after:
Angus Place – Rita Angus
Henrietta Catherine Angus, known as Rita Angus was born in Hastings on 12thMarch 1908. In 1927 Rita enrolled at Canterbury College School of Art to begin a four-year diploma in fine arts. Rita is credited as one of the leading figures in twentieth century New Zealand art. She worked primarily in oil and water colour, and is well known for her portraits and landscapes, especially in Canterbury and Otago.
Goldie Drive – Charles Frederick Goldie
Charles Frederick Goldie was born in Auckland on 20th October 1870. His mother, Maria Partington, was an amateur artist and encouraged Charles’s artistic ability. Charles was educated at Auckland Grammar School and displayed an early promise in art, and was soon winning prizes at the Auckland
Auckland Society of Arts and the New Zealand Art Students’ Association. He travelled to Paris to study at the famous Académie Julian and received a strong grounding in drawing and painting.
Hotere Place – Ralph Hotere
One of 11 children, Hone Papita Raukura (Ralph) Hotere was born in Mitimiti, Northland in 1931.
Ralph was educated at Hato Petera College and Auckland Teachers’ College, before moving to Dunedin in 1952 to specialise in art. In 1961 Ralph gained a New Zealand Art Societies Fellowship and travelled to England where he studied at the Central School of Art and Design in London. Ralph began the series of works with which he is perhaps best known, the Black Paintings. In these works, black is used almost exclusively. In some works, strips of colour are placed against stark black backgrounds.
McCahon Drive – Colin McCahon
Colin McCahon was born in 1919 in Timaru, though he spent most of his childhood in Dunedin.Colin would spend his summers in the Nelson area, cycling there from Dunedin to work in the orchards or tobacco fields. The experience of these long journeys through the landscape provided a continuous source of inspiration was to echo throughout his career. Colin is aprominent New Zealand artist whose work over forty-five years consisted of various styles including landscape, figuration, abstraction and the overlay of painted text. He is regarded as New Zealand’s most important modern artist, particularly in his landscape work.
Page Place – Evelyn Page
Evelyn Margaret Polson was born in Christchurch on 23rdApril 1899. Her father was accountant and the manager of Suckling Brothers Shoe Company. Evelyn was encouraged to learn music and painting from an early age. In 1922, she was elected to the Canterbury Society of Arts, which enabled her to begin working as a professional artist, exhibiting and selling portraits and landscape works around New Zealand. In 1938, Evelyn married Fredick Jospeh Page and they rented a house in Waitahuna with a well-established garden and fruit tree. This environment provided her with her subject matter over the following seven years.
Lusk Place – Doris Lusk
Doris Lusk was born in Dunedin on 5thMay 1916. Doris attended the Art School in Dunedin from 1934 to 1939 which provided her with the technical knowledge of landscape painting. Doris began painting at a time when artists were developing a new landscape iconography, incorporating structures such a gasworks, bridges and railway stations into their work. Her early paintings reflect industrial themes and were the products of trips made to Central Otago with her friends.