This old seemingly forgotten boat sitting in clear calm lilac water provided me a quiet focal point and reflective space on which to meditate and became inspiration for a painting. In the background Ti Point and Omaha, close to Leigh and Goat Island lie across the water, under a wide blue sky.

 

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art prints - image size 316x316mm

 

This print of my most recent painting looks down onto Hahei beach and over to Te Pare Point with the Alderman islands in the distance. The serenity of this place, of places like this on a hot summer's day beckon the viewer to visit. I certainly want to go back to Hahei, it's been a while...

 

 

This print depicts a view from Mita Bay campground at Mahurangi Regional Park (West). While looking out from under the shady branches of a pohutukawa tree across turquoise water to Saddle island (Te Haupa island) and in the distance Motuora island, with the headland just around from Big Bay just visible to the left.

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art prints 

The asterisk-shaped seed heads of the silvery green Spinifex grass (or Kowhangatara) – pictured - rolling along the beach, blown by the wind, with accompanying deep-water green and blues, white surf, and wide sky are for me associated with idyllic moments on west coast beaches, sun, paradise found, and a sense of wild serenity.

 

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art prints 

 

 

This print of a nikau with a landscape of Whangaruru harbour reflects the tranquility I felt on a summer's day looking out on this beautiful view - hence the name "Solace" - the solace to be found amidst the natural environment of New Zealand.

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art prints 
• This painting is the cover image of a 2019 book by Wendy Parkins "Every Morning, So Far, I'm Alive", published by Otago University Press

For me Kowhai are bells that cheerfully herald the coming of summer. Pictured here with a back drop of Ponui island with a definitive pacific palette of colour caught in strong southern hemisphere light. The kowhai is a native New Zealand tree and our unofficial national flower. Well known for their brilliant yellow flowers that appear in abundance in spring, kowhai provide a feast for New Zealand native birds such as the Tui, Bellbird and New Zealand pigeon the Kereru. Maori also value the tree for its hard wood and medicinal properties. • Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art pri... [view details]

 This print depicts a sun drenched bach from yesteryear complete with washing hung out on a make shift clothes line - in a water colour technique. 

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art paper prints - image size 500x311mm

This large work (of 210+ painting hours) depicts an amazing view from the lookout on the very beautiful Roberton island (or Motuarohia island) one of the many stunning spots in the Bay of Islands - in New Zealand's north island. I named this work after the lovely song "Summertime", and also my memories growing up in Paihia exploring the many islands nearby - Roberton being one of them. The left hand side of this print looks up Te Rawhiti inlet towards the main land at Rawhiti in the distance, the distant land on the right hand side directs the eye towards the gorgeous Pareanui an... [view details]

Te Hauturu-o-Toi (the official Māori title for Little Barrier Island). Little Barrier is depicted in the far left of this print. Te Hauturu-o-Toi means "the resting place of lingering breezes", a title which captured my attention, both as a very fitting description of the beautiful land I was studying to paint, along with my felt sense while painting this work. I worked on this painting for six months, carefully considering detail, and the varying tones of lightness or darkness in every colour to create distance and balance within this composition. In this painting see if you can f... [view details]

I named this painting of pohutukawa with the phrase “the darling buds of May” in mind. This phrase refers to the opening buds in the northern hemisphere that point toward the warm season of summer ahead and to the exuberance and freshness of youth as it moves toward adult maturity.The pohutukawa tree flowering in early December – with my most favourite flower - has become an established and iconic part of Christmas in New Zealand.

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art prints 

 This print depicts a Nikau on the edge of the sea, fronds wild in the breeze and ripe with berries - in a water colour technique. 

 

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art paper prints - image size 225x350mm

 

Perhaps my favourite bird - the Tui are boisterous, and widespread in both forest and suburbia. From a distance they seem black but seen closer and in a good light the Tui have a blue, green and bronze iridescent sheen, with distinctive white tufts at their throat. They can be heard singing complex songs - notes interspersed with coughs, grunts and wheezes. Listening to their many songs is a pleasure and watching them in flight, with their bodies slanting in short glides - a joy.

• Limited edition of 200 hand signed fine-art prints