Tara-iti
The focus of this work is Tara-iti, the Maori name for the NZ Fairy Tern which is a highly endangered New Zealand bird.
The work is a tribute and memorial to this lovely creature. I have endeavoured to convey the beauty of it’s spirit, it’s fragility and the sense of loss to the world if it does in fact become extinct.
Description
My current body of work is based on the quantum construct
of the Quantum Spiral. Each painting has this figure drawn before I begin
painting and remnants of it can be seen beneath the layers of paint.
The reason for the Quantum Spiral or the Krystal Spiral as
it is sometimes referred to, is to imbue the work with a higher energy
frequency.
I then lay down a base using acrylic paints, inks,
stencils, and acrylic spray paints. Then, on top of this, I add the main detail
of the painting using oil glazes and later thicker oil paint. The gold details
are painted using metal powder suspended in a medium.
The work aims to raise awareness of Tara-iti’s endangered
status, thereby inspiring a connection to nature and a call to protect the
delicate balance that sustains these remarkable birds. There are only thirty
five of these beautiful birds left.