I was having my morning coffee and I thought isnt it great that we have the freedom to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. As I sipped away I pondered the pain and suffering that was endured by so many who gave their lives so that the likes of myself can enjoy a morning coffe or similar without fear of war and the like. I decided to throw a little paint around in respect of our anzacs who landed in the fields and on the beaches .......I call this "Where ANZACS Rest"
Have you ever sat in the sand dunes looking through the grasses and flax at the lonely darkening sea and wondered how many souls are out there in the gathering storm? I spent time at the beach recently on such a night and last night I got the urge to just paint a test canvas after 3 years away my crayons as a mate would say. (I still remember CAP)
Amber sunrise
Have you ever seen the early sunrise as a storm front is gathering, I have seen many mornings where the sea is building and the suns rays dance through the cloud layers forming amazing colours. This is my impression of one such morning and the scene that I remember. (acrylic on stretched canvas approx. 1000mm wide x 700mm high x 40mm deep).
Natures Offering
I imagined the coarse and rugged evolution that turned molten lava into stne and rocks and then the jade that evolved over millions of years which reflects the rough backdrop to this piece. I then thought of hunter gatherers who fashioned the raw product into objects of beauty and worth.
Lastly I imagined the need to live and the ability of those who have gone before us and their ability to shape bone and jade into utensils used for fishing to feed the Whanau which is signified by the hook and the Koru pattern signifies identity and belonging. I am not sure why I painted this but I just felt the urge to put it on canvas.
Acrylic on stretched canvas 450mm high x 350mm wide x 40mm Depth.
Lastly I imagined the need to live and the ability of those who have gone before us and their ability to shape bone and jade into utensils used for fishing to feed the Whanau which is signified by the hook and the Koru pattern signifies identity and belonging. I am not sure why I painted this but I just felt the urge to put it on canvas.
Acrylic on stretched canvas 450mm high x 350mm wide x 40mm Depth.
Shadow on the shore
It just happened and seemed right to paint it, my mind was wandering along the shoreline and I remember a woman strolling in and out of the small ocean surge at the waters edge.(Acrylic on stretched canvas 380mm high x 750mm wide x 40mm deep)
Rena's loss
I went down to my favourite holiday destination for a few days and I arrived at the surf lifesaving club to find a storm front delivering containers and debri from the container ship the "Rena" which grounded on the "Astrolab" reef in the Bay of Plenty.
I noticed a container then another and another arriving through the storm surf onto our beach along with various packages containing everything from milk powder to rice. The second day, I arrived to see small penguins and other wildlife dead on the beach covered in heavy engine oil.
We have to learn from disasters like this and try to put in place automated warning systems along with more stringent rules and regulations to try and stop this happening again. This is my version of what I saw through the driving rain and surf being driven onto our beach that day. Acrylic on stretched canvas 500mm x 250mm x 40mm.
I noticed a container then another and another arriving through the storm surf onto our beach along with various packages containing everything from milk powder to rice. The second day, I arrived to see small penguins and other wildlife dead on the beach covered in heavy engine oil.
We have to learn from disasters like this and try to put in place automated warning systems along with more stringent rules and regulations to try and stop this happening again. This is my version of what I saw through the driving rain and surf being driven onto our beach that day. Acrylic on stretched canvas 500mm x 250mm x 40mm.
Tsunami
I had a real urge to capture my impression of the Tsunami in Japan and the ruin and devistation it caused. The follow on from the nuclear fall out and destruction of towns and lives is represented in this painting. I hope we all understand and learn lessons from what was a devistating event and what is a tradegy that should never be forgotten in respect to life on our planet.
I find I am toying with more Pacifica Maori and have another on the easel ready for my brushes. 500mm x 250mm x 40 mm
Rainbow Beach
Rainbow beach was inspired by all of the bad weather lately and the calm after the storm. I enjoy mixing the colours to portray the dimensions of twilight that come with abnormal atmospherics.(Acrylic on stretched canvas 715mm wide by 560mm high)
Lady Bug
I was out in the garden today cutting flax leaves and spotted a Lady Bug crawling about from flax to flax so I captured it on canvas. (Acrylic on stretched canvas 760mm high by 380mm wide).
On the beach
I was sitting on the beach taking in all that surrounded me and admiring the pure formation of the waves along with the sounds of the lonely shoreline (Acrylic on stretched canvas 900 mm high by 700 mm wide)
