Unextinct (New Zealand Takahē - Nio)

from $8.50

Scratchboard (14 × 18in)

Etched with primarily scalpel blades and tattoo needles. Painted with Daler Rowney iridescent and pearlescent inks.

The New Zealand Takahē is one of my most favourite birds, they are rather special and only found only in New Zealand.

By the late 1890's the takahē were considered to be extinct until they were rediscovered in 1948 in a remote Fiordland valley. Thanks to an intensive programme of captive breeding, spearhead by the Department of Conservation, the Takahē population has increased, we now have approximately 350 Takahe, and some are being returned to predator-free islands within New Zealand. It's an incredible story.

I'm a frequent visitor to Zealandia Eco Sanctuary in Wellington and very much enjoy spending time taking reference photos for my art as well as getting to hang out with our beautiful native birds. Zealandia have two resident Takahē birds who recently had a chick who was translocated. This is the beautiful female, Nio, from my own reference photo.

Because of their incredible history of their species being declared extinct, then being restored by our New Zealand conservation efforts, I decided to leave the artwork half monochrome, and half painted, as if the bird is evolving back through time from black and white to present-day colour.


This Original Artwork has Sold

OPEN EDITION PRINTS AND ART CARDS AVAILABLE
(Prints signed by the Artist with a Certificate of Authenticity)

  • Fine Art Paper (printed with on Ilford giclee archival paper 100% smooth cotton)

  • Box Stretched Canvas 400gsm cotton/poly blend (stretched on a 35mm box frame and varnished for archival protection)

  • Framed options on enquiry

  • Freight to be quoted - This can vary on each order depending on quantity/weight and if same island, between islands and/or rural delivery

  • Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery

PRINTS & CARDS:

Scratchboard (14 × 18in)

Etched with primarily scalpel blades and tattoo needles. Painted with Daler Rowney iridescent and pearlescent inks.

The New Zealand Takahē is one of my most favourite birds, they are rather special and only found only in New Zealand.

By the late 1890's the takahē were considered to be extinct until they were rediscovered in 1948 in a remote Fiordland valley. Thanks to an intensive programme of captive breeding, spearhead by the Department of Conservation, the Takahē population has increased, we now have approximately 350 Takahe, and some are being returned to predator-free islands within New Zealand. It's an incredible story.

I'm a frequent visitor to Zealandia Eco Sanctuary in Wellington and very much enjoy spending time taking reference photos for my art as well as getting to hang out with our beautiful native birds. Zealandia have two resident Takahē birds who recently had a chick who was translocated. This is the beautiful female, Nio, from my own reference photo.

Because of their incredible history of their species being declared extinct, then being restored by our New Zealand conservation efforts, I decided to leave the artwork half monochrome, and half painted, as if the bird is evolving back through time from black and white to present-day colour.


This Original Artwork has Sold

OPEN EDITION PRINTS AND ART CARDS AVAILABLE
(Prints signed by the Artist with a Certificate of Authenticity)

  • Fine Art Paper (printed with on Ilford giclee archival paper 100% smooth cotton)

  • Box Stretched Canvas 400gsm cotton/poly blend (stretched on a 35mm box frame and varnished for archival protection)

  • Framed options on enquiry

  • Freight to be quoted - This can vary on each order depending on quantity/weight and if same island, between islands and/or rural delivery

  • Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery