We came, we found you, in 1982 –
Gold and blue.
We explored, lovingly, all over you –
Greens and golds of every hue.

I made Ode to Aotearoa after I had made the works in ‘Our Backyard’, about my love for this country Aotearoa/New Zealand, that Steve and I emigrated to in 1982, and as an installation people were able to walk through and enjoy.

I used hanging frames Steve had previously made me to suspend art works at exhibitions – and included Spirit of the Forest which had used one of those frames earlier. I used fabrics and haberdashery bought from Creative Junk, Christchurch, or left over from my own projects, painted in watered down artist’s quality acrylics.

Ode to Aotearoa is no longer available as an installation, as I’m going to repurpose or change parts of it to become 4 suspended sculptures on the same theme for an exhibition at Oxford Gallery Toi o Waimakariri by The Critique Group Otautahi Christchurch in July 2025.

Some parts of the installation are still available separately:
Spirit of the Forest, seen inside the installation in the top 2 photos and more clearly in ‘Forest and Sea’ under Galleries, was already a separate artwork in its own right and still is.

The front entrance to the installation being part of a display at the entrance to my studio.
Can easily hang in a normal doorway to be seen from both sides. $170 with aluminium rail.

The exit of the installation can also be a door screen or entrance into a section of a bigger room – looks best from this side. $125 with aluminium rail.