Born 1920 in Gisborne, Jan Nigro MBE is best known for her figurative paintings, drawings and collages. There are certain characteristic elements that run through much of Nigro’s work. One of these is her intuitive and uninhibited use of colour – from the rich, subtly varied palette used in the Bathers paintings, to the bright, often violently contrasting colours of her Apple for the Teacher series. Nigro studied at Elam from 1936 – 1938, under the aegis of Archibald Fisher, John Weeks and Lois White. Fisher’s teaching emphasized the study of the human figure, a theme that would fascinate the artist throughout her career. ‘For throughout her working life the human figure – and especially the nude – has been the focus of her image making.’ Jan Nigro exhibited on a regular basis in Australia and New Zealand until her death in 2012.