''I'm pretty happy and grateful I got [them] back,'' artist Orion Das said.
His van, containing about 20 paintings and 25 prints, was stolen from South Dunedin early last Saturday.
The vehicle was found empty earlier this week.
Then, on Wednesday night, a South Dunedin woman found what appeared to be all the missing artwork, Constable Matt Stoddard said.
Some personal items Mr Das had left in the van are still missing.
Const Stoddard said he was not surprised whoever stole the van had abandoned it and the artwork, but not the personal items.
''It doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary. These people are just after something to get quick money,'' he said.
''They probably thought they wouldn't be able to get anything from the paintings because of the publicity, and because most were signed by him, it would be too easy to track.''
Mr Das called the woman to thank her. She wanted him to ''do some artwork'' for her.
''I'll be going to see her on Saturday,'' he said.
Police had fingerprinted some of the paintings. Investigations were continuing.
