Charles Blomfield 
Charles Blomfield was born in London arriving in Auckland in 1863. He was a self-taught artist who worked mainly in oils and developed a strong and detailed style although in later years his work became more romantic. He often went on expeditions and in 1882 - 1883 he walked from Timaru to Mount Cook and the Southern Lakes. Before the destruction of Mt Tarawera in 1886 he painted the Pink and White Terraces exhibiting his original twelve paintings of this subject in his house in Wood Street Ponsonby. Whilst he would not sell the original twelve he made many scale copies of them over the years. In 1893 his peak of popularity was waning and he travelled to Australia but after little success returned to New Zealand and set up a studio in Wellington for a few months before returning to Auckland. In his later years it appears that he suffered a nervous breakdown and ceased painting. He exhibited with the Society of Artists Auckland 1873-77 was included in the New Zealand Industrial Exhibitions in 1885 and 1889, the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880 and the New Zealand International Exhibition in Christchurch in 1906. His work was also included in the Centennial Exhibition in 1940. Charles Blomfield is represented in the major New Zealand public galleries as well as the Turnbull and Hocken libraries.
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