Ailene Cuthbertson

OLD MOUNTAIN ART

Art inspired by dance, fantasy, dreams, and light

Where you can find me

I don’t have a studio, but you can find me and my art at exhibitions and events all over New Zealand throughout the year. Hop on my newsletter to find out where you can see my art next!

Here’s to following your heart and shining bright

Hi, I’m Ailene Cuthbertson, following my artist dreams and bringing my imagination to life – along with otherworldly fantasy escapism, skirt-swirling, dance-inspired movements, and glimpses of story.

I create on the computer with pen and tablet, bringing to life timeless, painterly worlds where I transform myself – and my dancer models – into dream heroines. We stand as enduring, uplifting reminders to follow your heart and shine bright.

So, come with me, and let’s escape into magic and wonder. Allons-y!

See what inspired Elena’s love of dance…

Elena is a belly dancer, inspired to dance by one of the greatest love stories you’ve probably never heard of – when a slave girl’s sultry glance and swirl of skirts captured the heart of a Sultan. He named her Hürrem, ‘the cheerful one’, broke centuries of tradition for her, and wrote poems to her eyes. Here, Elena and her husband Yevgen weave their own romance and heritage through one of history’s greatest love stories.

See the Hürrem collection

©2017, Ailene Cuthbertson, "My wealth, my love, my moonlight", Giclée print of photograph, 30cm x 30cm

Follow Paige as she dances her dream ballet…

Paige Cockerton, 15 (when we created this series), is going to be a professional ballerina. Her dream is that one day she will be twirling, skirts flying and pointe shoes whispering, through a peasant village bathed in stage lights. With this series, she dances a story of love, joy, heartbreak, revenge, and an ultimate act of forgiveness, in the hauntingly romantic ballet, Giselle.

From bright golds and oranges on a joyous autumn day, to white-gowned ghosts drifting through the moonlit forest – Giselle is a haunting and tragic love story.

See the Giselle collection

©2017, Ailene Cuthbertson. Around her drift the wilis. Photograph. Model: Paige Cockerton

See what happens when an artist (me!) reads too many fantasy novels…

And steps into her own wonderous adventures. Stand in the forgotten wasteland of the fire dancers, awaken a legend, sing with the water dancers, or feel the fire as you twirl in sparking firelight.

See the fantasy collection

“Tell me”, he said lazily, “Does the dance of the Sashiana mean anything to you?” by Ailene Cuthbertson, digital painting, 2015

Bio

Ailene is a fine art photographer and digital artist, using digital magic to bring her imagination to life. She started her artist life in 2012 through The Learning Connexion School of Creativity & Art, and is now creating bright, expressive images that blend otherworldly fantasy escapism, a dance-inspired, skirt-swirling movement, and a glimpse of story. She transforms herself and her dancer models into dream heroines, who stand as enduring, uplifting reminders to shine bright and follow your heart.

Ailene has been a finalist in the Cliftons Art Prize, and every year, you’ll find her at the open studio Raglan Arts Weekend. When not bringing to life timeless, painterly worlds full of magic and wonder, you’ll find her working as a software developer because she also loves being a nerd.

Meet Ailene