Don Merton Dies

Don Merton holding Richard Henry, a Fiordland kakapo

It is so sad, the beloved koro of both the toutouwai (black robin) and kakapo has died at the age of 72 after a battle with cancer. He was the person responsible for bringing back both species of manu (birds) back from the brink of extinction, without his intervention we would have lost both feathered treasures.

Link to the Article from the New Zealand Herald

another in the hand . . .



Toutouwai Pango Toitiiti 2011

Toutouwai Pango Toitiiti
2011
150mm x 150mm x 35mm
Archival acrylic and water colour on canvas

detail

Another iti treasure in the hand. This little toutoutwai, or black robin was carefully layered up using blues and brown, upon a mid grey base. No black was actually used in the painting of this manu so the depth of the colour is the result of many layers of washes, in a manner akin to oil paint glazes. I have heightened the contrast in colour in her feathers for dramatic effect.

I keep thinking of this character as Little Blue seeing as it is highly likely that she is a descendant of Old Blue.





You will be able to view her in more detail on Toggle where she is available for purchase
http://www.toggle.co.nz/ella-thomas.html

The inspiration behind this series of work can be read here . . .
http://ellaquaint.blogspot.com/2011/02/bird-in-hand-is-kind-of-cranky.html