THE KINGFISHERS PEACE – A creation treasure

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THE KINGFISHERS PEACE – A creation treasure Kingfishers peace birds flight

Interested buyers, don’t hesitate to ask at this link for a “First in first serve” acquisition of the framed original or number 1 of 15 limited edition acrylic enhanced reproductions. Kingfishers peace birds flight

Buy scarves directly from the original artwork @ Vida and Feast Fashion.

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THE PROVERB

A story
Creation
Kingfisher
Greenstone
Craftsman
Rest
Peace
Meditation
Undisturbed
Safety
One moment
One day
No fear

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THE STORY

The Sacred Kingfisher is one of New Zealand’s best-known birds, thanks to Geoff Moon’s iconic photographs and numerous sightings in wetlands, rivers, streams, and farmland.

Geoff’s early images show in detail the foraging skills and development of young chicks in nests.

Equally recognizable are the crouched silhouettes on power lines and high perches where kingfishers wait patiently to feed on estuaries and mudflats. The silhouette changes in an instant to a green streak that dives steeply to catch its prey. Kingfishers peace birds flight

At last count, I saw about 10 birds on either side of the town bridge and then discovered their nesting/home address in the clay banks a few hundred meters up the river.

I photographed the 2 in this image next to my studio gallery on the Mahurangi River, Warkworth, New Zealand.

In 2018 a kingfisher flew up into my studio and had an Oooppps!!! moment. When it realized it was trapped inside, its escape was blocked by a glass window. Thump, it fell stunned under my drawing board.

I recorded the story with a camera and poetic words while suggesting I make him world famous in a painting. He is also included in the painting ‘Tiritiri Matangi Island’.

The Kingfishers story

Kingfishers occur in a variety of habitats in New Zealand.

Their key features are elevated perches from which to hunt, banks or suitable standing trees for nesting, and open or semi-open habitats that support a range of prey items.

Other names: New Zealand kingfisher, kōtare, kotare, green kingfisher, tree kingfisher, wood kingfisher, and sacred kingfisher.

Geographical variation: Eight subspecies in Australia, New Caledonia, the Loyalty, Lord Howe Norfolk, and the Kermadec Islands and New Zealand. The New Zealand subspecies is vagans.

The Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) is a medium-sized woodland kingfisher found in mangroves, forests, woodlands, and river valleys in Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the western Pacific. In New Zealand, the species is also known as Māori name kōtare.

In some Polynesian cultures, the kingfisher is thpught a mythical sacred bird. It was believed to have control over the waves.

Similarly, the local subspecies of collared kingfishers and other kingfishers in the southwestern Pacific have been ascribed a mythical, venerable power over the ocean.

In reality, the kingfisher is a beautiful creature with no supernatural powers. It has beautifully iridescent colors, great patience, and a strikingly quick attack.

The allegory

I added the greenstone carving to the painting as a creative metaphor with another secret of symbolic interpretation in language.

Within the culture of these beautiful kingfishers is a wealth of knowledge beyond comprehension. The inner world full of science and engineering, an outer world of beauty and aerodynamics mixed with alertness, all reflect God’s creative imagination.

My meditations on kingfishers and their wonder draw many parallels around the beauty in humanity and painted alongside a created greenstone pendant reveal something of amazing wonder.

My use of the artisans’ greenstone

It’s hard to understand the gift of our creative imagination to create a story out of anything we see. In this case, I have used a pendant to herald an imagined indigenous story.

Beyond culture, color, religion, and politics, into the heart of life where creative expression has pure motives, you will discover the story as a metaphor in the craftsman’s greenstone.

This story captures peace meeting wisdom and counsel around an artisan’s dexterity in created work. This is one of heaven’s gifts and revelations that brings meaning, peace, and rest in its discovery.

As the lights go on to reveal the mystery, God’s peace that passes understanding will bring rest and a hunger for more truths about our existence and purpose in man’s creative enterprise.

I chose the greenstone pendant to represent the story of eternal life around the precious wisdom of the council of eternal truths.

The presence and creative wisdom of the maker are embedded in the greenstone. The spiral from the center, an embryo of birth spiraling out in an ever-growing circle, symbolizes the continuum of our life cycle, a sense of eternal perpetual motion.

The discovery of this jewel was so precious to me. Kingfishers peace birds flight

Some keys to understanding

If you, like me, are curious as to why we mismanage our creative freedom, go straight to the manufacturer.

He’s happy to show us the reasons and give us janitorial solutions as we create under His guidance.

God doesn’t guess or have an opinion, He tells the truth and can’t lie. His remedy is available to all of us, but if we are stubbornly arrogant in our beliefs, we will never win the battle we wish to win.

Many have discovered His secret of the beginnings of life and the wonder of the seasons, of natural preservation and creative enterprise.

The Kingfisher and human craftsmanship are wonderful marvels, embedded in the manufacturer’s wisdom.

These reflect the mystery of everyday life on earth.

You can read the maker’s wisdom in the pages of the Bible and I suggest you start with Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the great news revelation of John.

The Indigenous Influence Art disclaimer

My attempt to paint, study, and copy indigenous art is at best naive. At best, 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 honor towards these dear marginalized people. I borrow their creative intelligence to partner with my Western cultured photorealist painting.

I’m an Australian citizen living in New Zealand, and honored by the Indigenous people who bring me joy in their interpretive storytelling and creativity.

Parallel to the art is the rhythmic sounds of their music, didgeridoos, conch trumpets, wooden flute, 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

Part of my divine heritage inspires me to look forward to experiencing Aboriginal offerings in heaven. There are no fears, hatreds, prejudices, or insults to darken what God has created to be good in all cultures, including what we call Indigenous culture.

God will separate the good from the dark in all cultures and we will see the wonder of culture without superstition, fear, and prejudice.

* Some have claimed that I have no place using Aboriginal/Indigenous influences in my art because it is disrespectful to the sacredness of their culture and yet I consider my art just as sacred because I have as much freedom as my Indigenous family to explore all the wonders in the world of art with freedom of expression.

I choose to honor all art disciplines, incorporating whatever inspires me at the time of production, while giving glory to God for our diversity.

I believe we should celebrate each other’s storytelling and diversity as we seek to love one another truthfully.

Racial arrogance and one-upmanship help no one – no matter what color we are!

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STATUS and MATERIALS

ORIGINAL FOR SALE   * Bid or tender for the original artwork. All offers are considered around $12,000.

Painted with professional oils on the fine weave, gesso primed cotton canvas for long life. The canvas is stretched on New Zealand pine and protected with brushed dammar varnish.
* Originals and Limited Edition reproductions are supplied with Provenance, coded Authentication of Sale Certificate, and maintenance/care information.

15 LIMITED EDITION “ACRYLIC ENHANCED” CANVAS REPRODUCTIONS
The full size 920 x 1220 (same as original) on framed stretch mounted archival canvas price is $2250 inc GST
A master acrylic artist will digitally recreate the original painting and use hand-painted brushstrokes to replicate the original painting

50 LIMITED EDITION CANVAS REPRODUCTIONS * 
Unframed sizes | 1100 x short side – $1250  | 960 x short side – $960  |  650 x short side – $650
Printed on long-life archival canvas. 7 color 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.

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PROCESS

Painted on fine-weave, gesso-primed linen canvas for long life. Stretch mounted proudly on hardboard and protected with brushed dammar varnish.

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FASHION and PRODUCTS

Images from “The Kingfishers Peace” may be exhibited on Women’s Fashions through Vida and multiple product lines at Fine Art America

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SHIPPING

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

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AWARDS

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