Unveiling My "Moa Riders" Series
Hi everyone!
I know I've been pretty quiet on the art front lately, but it's been for a good reason. I've been laser-focused on my goal for the year: showing my artwork at one of the Linwood Art Gallery shows. And now, I'm thrilled to finally share the series I've been working on these past few months. Unfortunately, the fourth piece wasn’t quite ready by the deadline, but I’m excited to present the rest of the series.
The series is called "Moa Riders," and the idea came to me after rewatching one of my all-time favorite Studio Ghibli movies, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. In the opening scene, there's a masked traveler riding a bird that looks like a dodo. This sparked a thought: "What if people could ride Moas through the beautiful landscapes of Aotearoa?"
From there, "Moa Riders" was born! I had so much fun imagining the riders' attire, their weapons, how their saddles and bridles would work, and how they’d train these giant birds. The goal was to create art that feels organic. At first glance, you’ll see calming greens and blues with magical golden touches. But look a bit closer, and you'll discover all these detailed characters inviting you to interpret their stories or even come up with your own.
This series has been an amazing blend of history and fantasy. A big thanks to my friend Steve, who crafted these panels from my designs. Each painting is 1 meter wide, packed with texture and metal leaf. I prepared and gessoed the panels, laid down the underlayers with acrylics, and finished them off with oil paint on top. There is a fourth painting called “The Way back Home”, which didn’t get finished in time for the application, but I will post it once it’s done.
With my application now submitted for the show “Ethereal Canterbury” running in September next month, I feel like I've hit another milestone in my art journey, no matter the outcome. I'm already gearing up for my next, even larger series of paintings. If you know me, you know I've been dreaming of painting mermaids and magical sea creatures for years. Now, after refining my process and skills, I feel ready to tackle this new challenge.
I'm also working on a curriculum for my own art workshop, which I plan to run here in Christchurch. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks! 😊
Thank you all for your continued support and for joining me on this journey.
Best, Anya
