Ricky Drew

Ricky Drew is a talented local artist and sign writer. He started putting his creations on to canvas in 2003, but has been sign-writing and restoring older signs (including the famous Tiger Tea adverts) for over 20 years.

He has exhibited in numerous group show and competitions in Dunedin, and in 2007 won the Judges Choice at the Edinburgh Premier Art Awards. In 2007, an art gallery in Melbourne invited him to show an exhibition of his works - Paper Trails. The exhibition was a huge success with most works selling on opening night. The exhibition followed a theme Ricky had been playing with some time - capturing various scenes , both rural and urban, with a copy of newspaper drifting through each scene.

His work is probably best described as contemporary realism, and his subjects range from the writing on old weathered walls, to classic New Zealand landscapes with clean lines, to still life works. Each work is painted in acrylic on canvas and finished to a high degree.

The popularity of Ricky's work is immense. Since representing his work, Gallery De Novo has sold pieces to local art buyers and collectors, as well as international clients.

In July 2008 Ricky won the Lula Currie award at the Dunedin Art Society for his work titled 'Upper Gallery'.