Painted for the South Sea Spray Street Art Festival in the breathtaking surrounds of Te Anau, this mural celebrates the spirited kea — a bird as bold, curious and resilient as the landscapes it inhabits.
Decked with pōhutukawa in full Christmas bloom and woven through with white rātā, the kea flies into frame with a sense of movement and mischief, cutting through layers of colour, flora and softly falling snow. The composition leans into my signature use of overlays and form, allowing the bird to feel as though it’s mid-flight — alive within the alpine environment it calls home.
This work is a nod to the South Island’s wild contrasts: native flora meeting snow-laced skies, summer warmth brushing up against the crisp edge of the Deep South.
It’s an absolute honour to be back painting for South Sea Spray once again — returning to my Deep South art whānau, in a place that continues to inspire, ground and challenge my practice in the best possible way.
