Christine Campbell's Havelock North exhibition about colour, garden and the heart

One of Hawke's Bay artists Christine Campbell's paintings. Her new exhibition, Symphony of Colour, is now open at the Function Centre, on Te Mata Rd, in Havelock North.

The "joy of painting" has Christine Campbell itching to get back to it.

The artist has been so busy with Christmas, grandchildren and gardening that she hasn't picked up a paintbrush in nearly seven months.

She has, however, found time to organise her latest exhibition, Symphony of Colour, at the Function Centre, on Te Mata Rd, in Havelock North.

"I feel very privileged to be asked back after my last exhibition at the centre about 18 months ago," Campbell said.

Campbell, 70, was a late starter to painting.

"One day about 10 years ago I just decided I wanted to paint so I did. I love it."

She spends a lot of time in Belmount Gardens, a beautiful English garden that her family inherited in the Tukituki valley.

"It's hard work but it's also where I draw my inspiration from. My new exhibition is about colour, the garden and the heart.

"I mainly paint at night which is unusual for an artist, but I don't like doing it in the daylight as I find it really hard on my eyes.

" I feel really lucky to have found a love of painting. I would paint the world if I could but time's not on my side," she said with a laugh.

Campbell paints in oils with the occasional acrylic work or sometimes watercolours.

She has been busy tending to the garden's 150 roses and numerous other plants.

"The roses were so beautiful in spring during their first flush. It's been hot and windy out there recently. I'm task-driven and very motivated and it keeps me active. I'm always digging this or that up and planting it in a different spot."

• The exhibition is open until the end of February, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.