ARTIST ANNIE HAYWARD

“Forecast – generally fine with a sprinkling of love late afternoon.

“I believe the older I’ve become, the more obsessed I’ve become about that old chestnut “the weather”. Not that it can be anything to do with living in Wellington. Our local weather might be inclement, but it’s never boring.

“So I sit at my breakfast with the morning paper and peruse the weather page with attention. Temperatures fuel my imagination. Scorchingly hot in Sydney, freezing in Stockholm and chilly in Paris. This is where my imagination takes flight.

“It lands resoundingly in Paris, the charmingly romantic destination whether chilly or hot. She captured my heart a long time ago.

“One of my earliest inspirations, was a book owned by my parents entitled “The Lovers Pocket Book” les amoureux de Raymond Peynet.

“As a child, his delightful cartoons left a lasting impression on my psyche as an artist, and I’m proud to be influenced by him.

This is partly why my artworks and gift cards don’t “sit” in a totally New Zealand genre. Part of me is over there in France and England, where I was born, while part of me hovers over New Zealand.”