In this episode, I visit Jacqueline Fahey at her home and studio in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Jacqueline was educated at the Canterbury College School of Art, that would later become the Ilam School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury. She is now into her 8th decade of what remains a remarkable painting practice. She has work held in numerous public and private collections, including The Fletcher Collection, The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, The Aigantighe Gallery in Te Tihi-o-Maru, The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, The University of Auckland Art Collection and the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetū.

Jacqueline is represented in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland by Gow Langsford Gallery

There are images of the paintings that we talk about on The Good Oil Jacqueline Fahey Instagram Post for your reference.

You’ll hear Jacqueline speak about how her practice is born out of hard work rather than talent (although we might beg to differ), of being willing to risk not being ‘acceptable’ in a societal sense to ensure she could pursue making paintings she wanted to, hiding in plain view with her painting trolley to capture domestic moments in the family home, what she sees in Goya paintings that are still painfully relevant today, and the necessity for her to keep painting at the age of 95, but talks about what might be, heaven forbid, her last painting.

A couple of quick corrections before we get into the conversation. I refer to Jacqueline's cat as Elvis, their name is Alvin. Sorry Alvin. By the way you might also Alvin in the background in the episode. When discussing the painting ‘Look Mum They Killed Her’ about the killing of the American Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, I mistakenly refer to that event happening in Israel, it happened in The West Bank.

Also please note, if you’re listening with any sensitive ears, Jacqueline and I refer to the title of a painting that includes an expletive.

We started by talking about her friendship with, and valuable life lessons learnt from, Rita Angus.