The Fantail and Greenstone – Treasures on earth

THE STORY

Painting this piece was a true challenge — capturing the flutter of the Fantail’s feathers and the delicate details of moss and fungi tested my patience and skill.

Words couldn’t express my joy, so I painted the Fantail to honour its Creator. I added a greenstone carving to celebrate human creativity — a reminder that we, too, are made in the image of a creative God.

This painting reflects the mystery of God’s gift to us: to care for His creation with wisdom, imagination, and love.

Why Greenstone

The greenstone represents the artist’s heart — able to see stories in everything. When we look beyond culture, skin, faith, or politics, we find the essence of life where true creativity flows freely.

Within the artisan’s greenstone lies a hidden story — told through metaphor and parable — about curiosity meeting wisdom. It’s a heavenly gift, inviting us to find joy, meaning, and guidance through creation itself.

The mystery inspires awe and enlightenment, beyond understanding, and brings rest.

Our creative enterprise is content when we awaken to the image and likeness of our Creator. We are all creative beings.

I selected the greenstone pendant to represent the story of valuing wisdom in the council for seekers of new life.

Embedded within Greenstone’s tale is the presence of God and the assurance of freedom for those who engage in the metaphor’s enigma. Uncovering the meaning of the metaphor reveals fresh, awe-inspiring layers of existence and magnificence.

The Fantail

Fantails are tiny birds that eat insects. They live in Australasia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, and are from the genus Rhipidura in the family Rhipiduridae.

Most of them are about 15 to 18 cm long, are aerial feeders, and are called “fantails”, with the Australian Willie Wagtail a little larger. They are experts at hunting insects both on the ground and in the air.

The fantail bird goes by the Maori names Pīwakawaka, Tīwakawaka, or Piwaiwaka. A pied morph of the bird is called the “Pied fantail”.

According to Māori mythology (superstition), the piwakawaka is a messenger from the gods that brings news of death.

The bird’s bulbous eyes and erratic flying behaviour are thought to be the result of Maui squeezing it when it refused to reveal the location of his ancestress.

I’ve experienced numerous Maori visitors to my studio who believe in the superstitions and feel scared of death. This causes me sadness and empathy. They are not able to admire the amazing skill, beauty, and wonder that God created in them.

As a side note, Tiwakawaka is the name of one of the earliest Maori settlers in New Zealand.

The Koru in Greenstone

In Maori art, the greenstone koru has two meanings.

Korus and fishhooks are among the most popular symbols of Maori art and are also used in other world cultures.

Each culture has its interpretation of the significance of these symbols based on its beliefs.

The Koru, meaning as an allegory

Māori artwork employs the Koru as a symbol of creation because of its smooth, circular shape.

The unfolding frond’s circular shape in the silver fern signifies continuous movement and new beginnings. Its internal spiral, the corm, with its coiled inner leaflets, implies a return to the starting point.

This symbolises the way life evolves while remaining constant in perpetual motion.

Some believe the Koru embodies harmony and new life. The Koru symbolises balance amidst the upheaval of change and the tranquillity of daily life. It embodies a state of harmony and equilibrium.

The baby fern frond personifies this concept as it gradually unfurls from its youth and develops into a mature frond. Eventually, it opens into a new leaf on the silver fern plant before perishing. The Koru illustrates the life cycle of the frond and its connection with rejuvenation.

I picked this symbol to mean the growth of someone searching for life’s deeper secrets. By discovering the truth, you get a chance at a new life, free from being ignorant.

It’s like taking a bite out of the tree of knowledge, with good and evil being necessary for this orphaned world’s mindset.

We seek knowledge to grow and find the point of life, which is why I’m adding my twist to a wonderful design … finding new life in the creator’s wonder and glory.

The earth was created by Him, from His supernatural realm, and we use what He made to tell our stories.

The History of the “Hei matau” stylised fishhook

Hei matau is a beautifully stylised fishhook.

The Hei Matau fishhook has its origins in Māori legend/myth. The story is that New Zealand’s North Island was a huge fish caught by the great sailor Maui. Maui used a woven line and a hook made from his grandmother’s jawbone.

The hook also represents the importance of fishing to the Maori people and their strong relationship with the sea and its bounty.

It slowly became an ornament and found credibility when the Maori traded with Europeans, leaving behind its original use for catching fish.

The Indigenous Influence Art disclaimer

My attempt to paint, study, and reproduce indigenous art is, at best, naive. In the best way, I know there is no way I would knowingly *disrespect a people group I love dearly, and these are my best attempts yet.

I study at my own pace, and these studies reveal a deeper honour towards these dear marginalised people. This sentiment is embedded in my borrowing of their creative intelligence to partner with my Western-cultured photorealist painting.

As an Australian citizen living in New Zealand, I am honoured that indigenous peoples give me pleasure in their interpretive storytelling and dot painting.

Along with the rhythmic sounds of their music, didgeridoos, conch trumpets, wooden flutes, whistling poi, jade gong, drumsticks, dance, and songmakers, these gifted people are part of our heritage.

I have much to discover as I embed what I learn across the bridge of understanding from my culture into the indigenous culture.

My Godly inheritance and * disclaimer

Part of my spiritual heritage gives me hope to one day enjoy the beauty of Aboriginal culture in heaven and on earth. There will be no fear, hate, prejudice, or insults—only the goodness God placed in all cultures, including Indigenous ones.

God will reveal what’s good and remove the darkness from every culture. Then we’ll see the beauty of each one, free from fear and superstition.

Some people have said I shouldn’t use Aboriginal or Indigenous themes in my art, calling it disrespectful. But to me, my art is sacred too. Like my Indigenous brothers and sisters, I have the freedom to express what inspires me.

I choose to honour all forms of art and include whatever moves me, always giving thanks to God for our rich diversity.

We should celebrate each other’s stories and differences as we learn to love truthfully.

Racism and trying to be better than others help no one, no matter what our skin colour is!

STATUS and MATERIALS

ORIGINAL SOLD  *  Framed original (920mm x 920mm x 65mm) artwork. Limited edition reproductions are available.  
Painted with professional oils, on gesso-primed long-life linen canvas with gloss dammar protection. Framed in a genuine Italian frame.
* Originals and Limited Edition reproductions are supplied with Provenance, coded Authentication of Sale Certificate, and maintenance/care information.

12 LIMITED EDITION “ACRYLIC ENHANCED” CANVAS REPRODUCTIONS
920 x 920 + wrap 1020 x 1020, Giclee printed on archival canvas wrap, ready to stretch mount, price, $9500 inc GST
A master acrylic artist will digitally recreate the original painting and use hand-painted brushstrokes to replicate the original painting.

75 LIMITED EDITION CANVAS REPRODUCTIONS * 
Unframed sizes | 960 x short side – $960|  650 x short side – $650
Printed on long-life archival canvas. 8 colour giclee printed on fine art archival paper or archival linen canvas and acrylic enhanced. Protected with 2 coats of UV archival spray.
* Stretch-mounted reproductions will incur added charges for mounting and freight.

OPEN EDITION POSTER ART PRINTS * 
Unframed sizes | 594 x short side – $120 |  420 x short side – $92
* Posters printed on fine art papers and treated with two coats of UV archival protection spray.

FASHION and PRODUCTS

Images from “The Fantail and Greenstone”  will be exhibited on multiple product lines at Fine Art America

SHIPPING

• Includes insurance and package/handling fees.
• The Original and Limited Edition reproductions ship with the Provenance-coded Authentication of Sale Certificate and maintenance information.
• Poster art prints ship in insured tubes.

AWARDS