"I wanted dad to be near her, he lives across the road."
It was his dad from whom Terry drew The Bushman's Son name that's giving him a serious edge on art world branding. After many a year in media sales (he's presently selling for this newspaper's parent company NZME) branding's become his by-word.
"I wanted to create a brand as big as my art work, I was driving through Tirau, saw a shop called The Carpenter's Daughter and thought 'my God, I'm the bushman's son'."
So how come it's only recently he's sprung into prominence? For much of his adult years he shelved his youthful passion for art. However when this solo dad's sons left him with a bad case of empty nester's syndrome he again picked up his brush and camera.
A camera's a major tool of his trade, a lot of his work's painted from the photographs he takes, his parents' portrait is a case in point.
There are exceptions, his recent Rotorua Arts Village exhibition was based on a collection of historical postcards featuring local Maori women.
"Some of the subjects hadn't been seen for 110 years."
They're to hang in an Auckland exhibition next month, this follows his April exhibition at Palmerston North's Safe As gallery.
Be proud Rotorua, this is one seriously talented artist whose branding's to be reckoned with and who has chosen our city as his home base. In one of those "life's come full circle" kind of ways he's back where he spent his teenage years and early married life.
Tokoroa had him while he was growing up in the shadow of the bush that was his father's workplace.
"It's a legacy to have a bushman father."
Terry (we'll refer to him by his non-brand name) started drawing at primary school, winning an art award at intermediate.
"I had an interest in photography, sketching people and animals, never landscapes. My mother bought me cartridge paper, it was really, really expensive so a huge sacrifice, I was one of six - her baby."
Art apart, Terry wanted a career involving people.
It wasn't to be, with Tokoroa's job choices limited he became a glazier 's apprentice.
"It wasn't me at all, I bailed, but it did give me a fascination for stained glass and lead lighting. My poor parents, I took over the house, even did the toilet window, I was craving for creativity."
Sweeping sawdust in a local mill appealed even less than glazing.
"I ran away, I was 17, had $10 in my pocket, went to the taxi rank and said 'how far will this get me?' I was dropped at the Atiamuri turn-off, hitchhiked to Rotorua."
A cousin took him in, menial jobs paid his board.
"The minute I turned 18 I parked my creativity, all I wanted was to get drunk, party."
Working behind the Cobb & Co's bar he met the girl he married, they produced two sons but marriage wasn't for either partner.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be a solo father but I got custody of the kids, us three boys had the best of times."
Terry, however, was nursing a secret - he was gay.
"I had this massive breakdown, ended up in Ward 4 [psychiatric ward] at 36, that made me realise life was too short not to let people accept my sexuality, it was a 'come on, get real' moment. Being gay doesn't define me, it enhances me."
Terry moved his boys to Auckland, joining Radio Pacific's sales team.
"Juggling the boys' schools, keeping them clothed, fed and watered was a real mission but would I swap it? Hell no, I count myself extremely lucky to have had children to raise. I learned to balance parenthood with Terry Fergusson the individual."
He moved to TV3 dealing with major corporate clients - "my sketchbook became dusty". TVNZ shoulder-tapped him for a management role.
"My kids started leaving home, I thought I needed a break, spent eight months in Sicily and London."
A stint at MediaWorks was followed by several years at Sky TV.
"With the boys gone I picked up my camera, started working with acrylics on canvas, and came up with portraiture that was sometimes abstract, sometimes detailed, but all the time very emotional."
Seeking a less demanding outlet he painted personal icons; "Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, Dr Who, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Munro, it was fun, light relief from the really gutsy stuff I'd been drawing."
Acquiring a personal branding began to nag at his salesman's side "to give me a point of difference".
Enter The Bushman's Son; Terry began to hawk the brand and his portfolio around galleries.
"I hit gold with the Exhibition Gallery of Fine Art with galleries in Auckland and Wellington they instantly agreed to show my work, it was one of the biggest openings for years, anyone who thought they were someone was there."
Last year the new darling of the big cities' art world loaded his truck and moved back to the Ngongotaha home he'd retained.
"People were saying 'you can't be out of the market', what they didn't realise was I'd never be part of the corporate life, that it's my art that defines me."
TERRY FERGUSSON AKA THE BUSHMAN'S SON
Born: Tokoroa, 1963.
Education: Tokoroa North Primary, Forest View Intermediate, Tokoroa High.
Family: Two sons, grandson "the bushman's great grandson".
Interests: Family and extended family, art, gardening, "I'm always renovating my house different colours, different furniture." Exercising, completed this year's Rotorua Marathon and Tarawera Crossing.
On his art: "I get excited when I create each piece, some more so than others, these will be my legacy to the local art world after I'm gone."
What's next? Is establishing a fund for emerging Rotorua artists in conjunction with the Geyser Foundation.
Personal philosophy: "Life's short, use it wisely."
