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Urewera River Scene by Derrick Way

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Description: This image was likely taken by the Evening Standard on the 12th of February 1984 but was not published. It depicts a painting by Derrick Way held by his wife Jenny. The painting was presented to former United States president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn during their visit to Palmerston north.

The article “Artist has a way with paintbrushes” was written by Warren Barton and published on the 17th of February 1984:

“A PAINTING by Derrick Way of Palmerston North one of the overnight success stories of New Zealand art will soon be hanging in the home of former United States president Jimmy Carter

The landscape was especially commissioned by the Lions Clubs that brought Mr Carter and his wife Rosalynn to Palmerston North last weekend and was presented to the couple during their stay.

The Carters were delighted with the early morning Urewera river scene.

Way who has not worked as a full-time professional artist since 1981 took time out from a building project to do the painting. When I was asked to do it he says I knew right off what Mr Carter would like, being a keen trout fisherman.

The painter is a builder by trade but for six or seven out of the past 10 years has made a living from painting landscapes. old houses, old trains or brumbies in the Urewera National Park.

He arrived on the art scene almost literally overnight.

The way he tells it, the family was in Napier on holiday. Round Table was holding a paint-in so he tried his hand. As a schoolboy, he’d done a bit of drawing and once won a pavement art competition.

The work he produced was bought by his wife when the products of the paint-in were auctioned. She had it framed and hung it in the lounge of their Ruahine Street home.

Way meantime went back to his building until one Friday night for no reason, went downtown and bought some oils and brushes.

He went out and painted a seascape and, in his ow words ‘I was hooked’.

He decided on the spot ‘I’m going to paint’ and he did.

A few months after Way organised his own exhibition n at the old Centennial Pavilion in the Square and 33 of his works sold within the first hour.

It enabled him to devote himself entirely to painting. He attended outdoor schools in Auckland and learned as he went.

But he believes there is such a thing as a gift for art. ‘I think I have a built-in feel for certain things.’

He continued to paint until 1981 with another successful exhibition in Palmerston North and others in Auckland and Wellington. The average price of his larger than usual canvasses is $700 or $800.

And the beauty is, says Way, I paint for myself something I can get personally out of each work I do.

As soon as he completes his building project he plans to return to full time punting and maybe spreading his wings with other mediums.”

Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter jnr) served as the 39th President of the United States of America, between 20 January 1977 and 20 January 1981. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 for his work in conflict resolution and advancing human rights in the decades since serving as president. His wife Rosalynn Carter (nee Smith) spent 5 decades advocating for causes in mental health and caregiving support among many others. Together, they founded the Carter Center – which works today to foster world peace and health programmes. Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100 on 24 December 2024. Rosalynn passed a year earlier, on 19 November 2023.