This mural is inspired by my personal experience of off-grid living in Karamea, a remote and breathtaking corner of New Zealand’s West Coast. Immersed in its untouched landscapes and surrounded by native birdsong — both ancient and alive.

The artwork unfolds in layered silhouettes of mountain ranges, painted in a gradient of greens that deepen from the misty background to the dense foreground, echoing the lush, untamed terrain of the region. At its heart stands the moa: a towering, extinct guardian of the land, symbolising both loss and legacy. Surrounding it are the weka, the New Zealand falcon (kārearea), and the kiwi, each representing resilience, curiosity, and the enduring spirit of Aotearoa’s native wildlife.