A Tribute:

The Aotearoa Star Lines art works are a tribute to the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand.

Images:

Ship: The Awatea (Eye of the Dawn) was built in 1936 and it brought a taste of the glamorous and luxurious cruise liners from early 20^th Century.

Kowhaiwhai (scroll design): The inspiration for this Kowhaiwhai comes from Ngaru, a traditional Maori design representing the cutting of the waves as the ‘waka’ moves through them.

Aotearoa Star Lines (name): I incorporated the word ‘star’ as a tribute to the ‘Red Star Lines’

Aotearoa Star Lines Logo: (star & rope): Combination of red star with white boarder from the New Zealand flag; the rope and New Zealand inspired by New Zealand Ship and Marine society’s logo; and the anchor, symbol of all things connected with the ocean.

Wellington Harbour Board Logo: (fish & turret): This design was taken from the outside of shed 13 building which was originally a bond store for early shipping in Wellignton.

Boarder Design: Inspired by the detailing on the outside of Shed 13.

Images:

Waitomo Caves:

The caves have been a popular tourist spot throughout history. It was known for popular commercial caving as early as 1900.

Kowhaiwhai (scroll design):

Ngutukaka (kaka beak-flower, family of the kowhai) & Rautawa (tawa leaf) – I have created a combination of these two traditional designs to represent our native flora as a whole and to hint at the combination of peoples, cultures and beliefs within New Zealand which makes it the beautiful place that it is.

Weird & Beautiful:

A fabulous slogan I found on an old New Zealand Government Tourist Department Poster advertising the Waitomo & Ruakuri caves.

Tiki Tours (logo):

I have chosen to incorporate the face from the 10cent piece to represent the substantial income in which tourism brings into New Zealand. ‘We’re going on a tiki tour’ is a fantastic NZ saying which I wanted to bring into my work to reference the relaxed and fun attitude we New Zealanders have.

Boarder:

Imagery of a fantail, tui, flax bush, toitoi, Mt. Cook lily and Kakabeak flower.

Images:

Mountain:

Mt. Cook has been a popular tourist spot throughout history. Known as Aoraki or Aorangi it is the highest mountain in New Zealand, reaching a height of 3,754 meters.

Kowhaiwhai (scroll design):

Ngutukaka (kaka beak-flower, family of the kowhai) & Rautawa (tawa leaf) – I have created a combination of these two traditional designs to represent our native flora as a whole and to hint at the combination of peoples, cultures and beliefs within New Zealand which makes it the beautiful place that it is.

Thousands of feet above worry level:

A fabulous slogan I found on a New Zealand Railways poster circa 1930, advertising Mt. Cook and The Hermitage.

Tiki Tours (logo):

I have chosen to incorporate the face from the 10cent piece to represent the substantial income in which tourism brings into New Zealand. ‘We’re going on a tiki tour’ is a fantastic NZ saying which I wanted to bring into my work to reference the relaxed and fun attitude we New Zealanders have.

Boarder:

Imagery of a fantail, tui, flax bush, toitoi, Mt. Cook lily and Kakabeak flower.

Images:

Coat of arms: Based on the traditional New Zealand coat of arms. I have kept the woman on the left but holding a Kauri tree seedling instead as she looks sternly towards the miner on the right. The miner has replaced the Maori Warrior. The miner stares blankly as if ready to work. The Maori face above the shield is from the 10cent piece and is crowned, asking ‘is money king?!’

In the shield is a kiwi and a kaka, two native birds living in Schedule 4 areas that might be opened up for mining. On the left, a mining cart and opposite it, the crossed hammers which are from the New Zealand coat of arms. The shield is broken up with an X to signal my reproach!

The endangered Helm’s butterfly which only lives in a schedule 4 protected area is on the bottom

Flag:  Dirty and faded representing what will happen if we start letting atrocities like mining in our National Parks. The symbols on the flag represent mining extracts and consequences of mining in National Parks.

The Love Story:

Pihanga was the adored by all the mountains but it was Tongariro who won her heart. There was a fierce battle on the central plains between the great Taranaki and the beloved Tongariro. Taranaki was defeated and was made to retreat to the west coast where he still watches Pihanga longingly.

Flora:

The flora designs are of natives within the Central Plateau area: Beech, White sun orchids & Mountain Daisy.

Kowhaiwhai Design: (In red) Nga Maunga (The Mountains) a design I have created to depict mountains. It represents all the mountains of Aotearoa and the link we have to them.

Background Text:

Ngati Tuwharetoa are one of the local tribes in the central North of whom trace their origins to the Te Arawa canoe.

New Zealand was named by the Maori when they arrived “Aotearoa” two translations of this are “Land of the long white cloud and “Land of the long daylight” The Polynesians had traveled directly from what is called the Southern Group of islands which includes Tahiti and the Marquesas.

A Tribute:

Suggested by her English publisher, Rosemary Frances Rees was sent on a nostalgic return trip to her homeland of New Zealand and the resulting book is an affectionate tale of her travels throughout New Zealand.

Images:

Map: I have marked on the map the places that Rees travelled through whilst researching her book.

Nau mai, Haere mai (Welcome): The image on the right hand side of the painting represents: The images on the old NZ postcards and NZ tourist dept. posters of a ‘Maori maiden’ welcoming you to NZ, which also doubles for me as a tour guide. I am of Ngati Raukawa and Tuwharetoa descent along with ties to England and Scotland and proud of it. It seems I look more European to tourists. Lastly it represents all Kiwi women who have represented Aotearoa and shown tourists what a magical country this is!

Stamp: This was the first piece of my tourism & travel series of work and thus I chose to keep the stamp design (from previous work) to represent the connection of post i.e. letters back home to loved ones.

A Tribute: To New Zealand Rail

Images:

Train:  The RM30 is one of six Standard railcars manufactured by NZR at the Hutt Workshops in 1930. Along the roof I have listed the other railcars which were all named after famous ancient Maori canoes:

Kowhaiwhai (scroll design): Inspired by: Ngaru, a traditional Maori design representing the cutting of the waves as the ‘waka’ moves through them; the famous koru (fern frond) motif which Air New.

Wellington to Auckland in 8 hours and 42 minutes: When I was at the Silver Stream Train Museum I was told, 8 hours and 42 minutes is still the record time for that particular route!

Aotearoa Royal Rail (logo): I have incorporated a design I saw on an old New Zealand Rail bench seat into my logo. I used the word royal due to the many connections to NZR which had crowns in them.

Roof: Last time I was at the Otaki railway station I took some photos. The roof trim along the top of the painting is based on them.

Images:

Air craft:  Lockheed Electra.  The Electra in this painting was inspired by two different aircrafts: ZK-AFD Kuaka and ZK-AFC Kotare which were the first two Electra’s to arrive in New Zealand.

Godwit: The two white bird motifs represent the godwit or in the Maori language ‘kuaka’ (name of the ZK-AFD)

Aotearoa Airlines logo/wings:  This was inspired by the five ‘wings’ insignia of the provincial airline main trunk operators between 1934 and 1947.

Kowhaiwhai (scroll design): Inspired by Ngaru, a traditional Maori design representing the cutting of the waves as the ‘waka’ moves through them and by the famous koru (fern frond) motif which Air New Zealand first applied to the tail of their aircraft with the arrival of the DC-10 in 1973.

Haast Aeronautical Society: A logo I created introducing the Haast eagle to refer to the first largest flying ‘thing’ in the skies over New Zealand. Note: The N, A, C which is highlighted in red is to represent NAC-NZ National Airways Corporation.

Images:

Air craft: Short S.30 Empire Class Flying Boat ZK-AMA Aotearoa. In April 1940, Air New Zealand was registered as a company in Wellington using the name Tasman Empire Airways Limited or TEAL. The aircraft that started it all was the ZK-AMA arriving in New Zealand in 1939.

Stars: Representing the Southern Cross and the New Zealand flag

Aotearoa Airlines logo/wings:  Inspired by the five ‘wings’ insignia of the New Zealand provincial airline main trunk operators.

Kowhaiwhai (scroll design):  The inspiration for this Kowhaiwhai came from two places.  Ngaru, a traditional Maori design representing the cutting of the waves as the ‘waka’ moves through them. Part of the design was also inspired by the famous koru (fern frond) motif which Air New Zealand first applied to the tail of their aircraft with the arrival of the DC-10 in 1973.

Haast Aeronautical Society: A logo I created introducing the Haast eagle to refer to the first largest flying ‘thing’ in the skies over New Zealand. I also wanted to reference the Royal Aeronautical Society in their dedication to the aerospace community.

A Tribute:

The Aotearoa Star Lines art works are a tribute to the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand.

Images:

Ship: The image of this ship was inspired by an image from the Union Lines ‘Monowai’ dinner Menu 30^th July 1949.

Kowhaiwhai (scroll design): The inspiration for this Kowhaiwhai comes from Ngaru, a traditional Maori design representing the cutting of the waves as the ‘waka’ moves through them.

Boarder (Aotearoa Star Lines): This is based on the design from the original shares certificates issued by the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand.

Aotearoa Star Lines (name): I wanted to incorporate the word ‘star’ as a tribute to the ‘Red Star Lines’.

Aotearoa Star Lines Logo: Combination of red star with white boarder from the New Zealand flag; face from the 10cent coin; the rope and New Zealand inspired by New Zealand Ship and Marine society’s logo; and the anchor, symbol of all things connected with the ocean.

Your Holiday Starts Here: I have highlighted the letters USS in red along with C & O. These letters stand for Union Steam Ship Co. of New Zealand.