Cockatoo Paradise
Tropical Paradise – or more correctly, sub-tropical paradise.
Here in the Far North of New Zealand, summers can be hot and steamy, and winter days unexpectedly chilly. The title of this piece of art was inspired by a builder friend I’d hired to do some work on my cottage almost 2 years ago – July 2017 in fact (our winter).
I’d heard Paul’s ute come up the drive about 9am on a cold but sunny morning, and went out to have a chat with him about the great progress he was making on the repair work.
“Lovely morning in Paradise!” he called out, pouring himself a warm mug of coffee from his thermos. That made me smile, and led to a bit of a discussion about how pleased I was with my decision to stay put on this place.
It’s always especially heartwarming when friends voice their approval of one’s decisions, and as it happened, Paul had been one of the first locals to hear the news that I’d decided to stay instead of flitting off down south.
Apart from their obvious relevance to the ‘Tropical’ theme, all the elements in this image relate to this property.
The cockatoo belonged to friends who had a contracting business and came up here to do some trench digging work while my mom was still alive. I’ve got great photos of him hopping around on a Jacaranda tree as we sat talking during a break from work. Paradise indeed!
The Strelitzia reginae bird of paradise flowers are favorites – first encountered when we moved from the north of Scotland to Central Africa – what a change in lifestyle and surroundings THAT was!
Our new town’s botanical gardens were full of new wonders, like Cannas, Strelitzias, Bougainvilleas, Golden Chalice Vines, Aloes and palm trees of all kinds. I have 2 Strelitzias in my back garden that from time to time come under attack from my sheep (would you believe!). They are very deep-rooted, so as they can’t be moved I plan to plant a couple more in the safe zone that I now call my ‘plant retreat’.
The Fruit Salad plants (Monstera deliciosa) flourish here. My parents planted numbers of them when they first bought this place in 1970, so now I have several growing 30′ or more high in my native Totara trees. Quite spectacular! They really prefer to have their feet in the shade, and not too much full sun on their leaves.
As for the palm leaves, they represent the unlimited numbers of NZ Nikau palms (Rhopalostylis sapida) that multiply to the point where I have to cut them out at times like weeds, or I would be overgrown, They flourish especially under trees, where the birds have sat above and dropped seeds into the leaf mould below. Nature is an unstoppable force!
Hope you enjoy this work, For more details, click on the image. Vector.
Patricia
Summer Anchorage
This artwork inspired a design for a Dynomighty Mighty Wallet that’s most appropriate for the approaching Northern Hemisphere summer.
The location is on the coast about 20 miles north of here – a very picturesque fishing village where the street runs alongside the retaining wall above the beach.
Mature pohutukawa trees line the roadside, and cars can park in their shade and enjoy the vista of yachts anchored in the harbor and fishing boats going to and fro the adjacent wharf.
For more details about prints, products and the Mighty Wallet, click on the image above.
Have a great summer!
Patricia
Christmas Beach
Here in New Zealand Christmas means high summer, and Christmas Dinner is often held on the beach, on a deck, or outdoors in front of a holiday home overlooking the sea.
We are fortunate in NZ because our beaches don’t get crowded, as in many countries overseas. Though beaches are not my ‘dream location’, I really do enjoy a beach that is deserted – a back to the wilderness type of thing. And I’ve got one or two fond memories of riding horses on beaches of this kind.
I created this painting after I moved away from Wellington, and I think the inspiration was the south Wellington coastline – Terawhiti with Makara behind – which also can be seen from the Inter-Island Ferry. As many will know, the Inter-Island Ferry crossing on a good day is a real treat, as the south Wellington coastline gives way to the fascinating convolutions of the Marlborough Sounds coast with its multitude of bays and inlets.
In this picture the atmosphere of the weather IS indeed benign, and if it were not for the lack of Pohutukawa trees lining the cliffs and flocks of sailing boats in the bay, it could well be the Bay of Islands, close to where I live now in what we euphemistically call ‘the winterless north’.
I think what makes this painting work so well is not only the composition, but also the colors. In a sense, this is a limited palette – but it doesn’t feel like that, and probably the muted, olive green shades have turned out to be the perfect foil for the rich blues and orange.
Acrylic on paper. For more details about the work, click on the images.
Patricia
Patricia Howitt Art Blog 