New Zealand has many native flora and fauna.
We are blessed with some of the most stunning native bush in the world.
We live between native bush and the sea, so I get to go bush walking when ever I want to.
I could load up 100 pics 🙂 of my walks if i wanted to, but i wont , (collective sigh of relief lol)…
here are 3 to show you where i get my inspiration from………

….to then paint things like this:

©Reina Cottier Art.  (Sold)

and, right outside my bedroom window in spring, are gorgous wee chaps like this Tui bird,
(another native of New Zealand),
talking away, clicking and singing with what sounds alot like a bell bird at times.
The stunning ‘metallic’ colours on this bird are mesmerising to me, these pics dont really show the deep gun metal grey, emerald greens and deep turquoises…the subtle nuances of them are what fascinate me, not a blaring vibrant “look at me” type thing, but more, an elegance, (esp with that ‘cloak’ of feathers around its nape), and a slight arrogance in a way. They are quite naturally tame, you can get within a metre or so when they are feeding and they dont mind at all.

so here are 2 of my Tui paintings:

©Reina Cottier Art (sold)

©Reina Cottier Art (sold)

hope you enjoyed a taste of Kiwiana in this post.

As always, im rampantly active on FB if you want to chat there 🙂
(my FB link to the right of this post)

or email me: reinacottier@gmail.com

xxx