First season in Colours and Black & White

Canvas dimensions 19 x 27 inches (482 x 686 mm)

Acrylic paint

Full moon at Puketi forest

This painting captures the serene beauty of the Puketi bush bathed in full moonlight, while also delivering a powerful message: we must understand the consequences of introducing non-native species into ecosystems unprepared for them. In this case, the spotlight falls on the overpopulation of possums.

The underbrush glows with vibrant hues, and the ripe fruits of the Karaka trees speak of nature’s abundance.

But beneath the canopy, a different story unfolds. Possums prowl, their black-and-white coats shimmering in the moonlight as they feast ravenously—devouring everything in their path and reproducing unchecked.

Whangaroa Harbour – Pohutukawa Reaching Out to Sea

This painting captures the enduring spirit and resilience of the Pohutukawa tree as it stretches toward the sea, defying the boundaries imposed by human development. The stark contrast between vibrant natural colours on either side of the composition is divided by the monochrome, constructed roadway—symbolising the unnatural separation between nature and urbanisation.

This visual tension is heightened by the looming threat posed to taller vehicles that must squeeze beneath the tree’s reaching limbs, underscoring the uneasy coexistence between nature and infrastructure. What might appear whimsical at first glance reveals a deeper commentary on the absurdity—and fragility—of this imbalance.

Taratara rising aspiration

This painting is meant to inspire reflection and a call to action — a vision for transforming the landscape through renewed human interconnection with nature.

The lower half of the artwork, in black and white, depicts a gravel road flanked by dense, invasive pampas grass, symbolizing environmental degradation and imbalance.

Above, the upper half bursts into colour with the sunrise over Mount Taratara, representing hope and the potential for awakening. It invites us to become more conscious of the damage below and to seek change — restoring harmony between people and the natural world.

Matariki Tamariki

Matariki is a time for remembrance and whanau.

On the left side, rendered in black and white, a Māori koro is shown gradually losing his identity as his mind ascends toward the Matariki stars. The composition also blends and interchanges the letters of the words Matariki and Tamariki, showing his confusion.

In contrast, the right side of the painting is vibrant with colour, depicting the grandfather as a child — playing joyfully with his whanau in a river, with Mount Taratara rising in the background.

Tauranga beach sand tapestries

The painting is divided into two contrasting sides. On the left, the color side portrays a sand tapestry created by the retreating waves. Two gannets are seen fishing above Tauranga Bay, adding a sense of natural vitality. In contrast, the right side is rendered in black and white, showing a tractor pulling a boat, leaving behind large tire tracks that form a second, harsher tapestry on the sand. A hill in the background appears opaque, with smoke rising from the tractor.

Together, these opposing sides illustrate the duality between nature’s beauty and human intrusion—marked by pollution and disruption of the landscape.

Whangaroa harbour eclipse