Dick Frizzell, Grafton, Auckland

by | Artists, New Zealand, Photography

Dick_Frizzell, New Zealand artist, Grafton

Dick Frizzell: One of New Zealand’s most well-known artists, in his spacious Grafton studio.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

Dick loves to paint, but he’s particularly proud of his books.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

No matter where he looks, he somehow sees a “tiki” 🙂

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

Working mostly for four major galleries, the deadline for artwork hovers around October. One such work in progress for the latter part of the year.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

A series where well-known works of art were reproduced with a hole in the middle.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

Dick’s desk with his MacBook. “I don’t own a phone”, he says. “My wife has one!”

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

One of Frizzell’s recurring work centres around The Phantom, by Lee Falk. Many hundreds of artworks of the Phantom are part of Dick Frizzell’s collection.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

To the non-Phantom fan, this is just another artwork. But Phantom fans know that’s Diana Palmer, his girlfriend and then wife. The original drawings are rumoured to be done using live models. Batman, on the other hand, has to settle for little or no spotlight.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

Phantom: The Ghost who Walks.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.

When the studio was first built, there was some heavy rain. And part of the place flooded. “Every time there’s rain, I go to check” says Frizzell, clearly affected by the memory.

Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.
Dick Frizzell, Artist, Grafton.