Rebecca Dowman-Ngapo is a mother to a spirited toddler, a water colour artist, the reigning Taranaki stilt walking champion, and she once made a wedding dress out of milk bottles and plastic forks.

She has been a home help assistant, USA camp councillor/assistant director, a pattern drafter making uniforms, a kebab maker, blue berry picker and a primary school teacher. She once ran the Tough Mudder Extreme Race with dish washing gloves in her bra so that she could breeze through the electrified wires in the final obstacle (her plan worked flawlessly… kind of).

Rebecca loves to paint animals, people and landscapes in watercolour while her daughter is sleeping (which isn’t as often as she would like). Being a stay-at-home mum and artist is her favourite vocation thus far.

News and upcoming events



I have been commissioned to paint an official portait of Lady June Hillary. The portrait will be added to the national archive as part of the Hillary collection at the Auckland Museum.

The portrait is currently hanging in the Welcome Swallow Gallery in Hamilton East

You can read more about the portrait here



I am really happy and grateful to announce that my watercolour painting 'Making Magic, Taming Dragons' of Hazel from Hazelmade has been chosen as one of 30 artworks from the Adam Portraiture Award Exhibition to tour for the next year.
At the moment there are 3 venues secured and they are hoping it might tour to at least one more South Island venue - please see the list below (exact dates to come) Percy Thompson Art Gallery
(Aug – Sept 2020) Wallace Arts Trust - The Pah Homestead
(Oct – Dec 2020) Millennium Art Gallery
(Dec – Feb 2021)

Making Magic, Taming Dragons, Watercolour, 756mm x 556mm


Art Markets:
No markets currently planned

A selection of my work is for sale here.

I am available for commission work, please contact me by email to discuss your needs. You can see some examples of my previous commission work here.

For more info and to see new paintings as they are finished, like my Facebook page or follow me on Instagram.