A Little Piece of the Forest, From Me to You

Why I'm giving away prints of four of New Zealand's native birds.

Sometimes it's the smallest things that make us stop and look.

A little bird hopping along a branch. A flash of movement through the trees. A familiar call from somewhere in the garden, even if we haven't a clue who's making it.

Since moving to New Zealand, I've become fascinated by the native birds here. Some are wonderfully bold and full of character, while others are so tiny and well camouflaged that you'd hardly know they were there.

And the more I've learned about them, the more I've wanted to paint them.

But I've also found myself thinking about something else.

How many of us really notice the wildlife around us?

We go about our busy lives, rushing from one thing to the next, while these extraordinary little creatures are getting on with theirs, often right under our noses.

I think there's something special about stopping for a moment and paying attention.

Four little birds, four very different personalities

Over the past few months, I've been working on a collection of four original pastel paintings, each featuring one of New Zealand's native forest birds.

A Little Bit of Sunshine | Tomtit (Miromiro)

My little tomtit, with his curious expression and beautiful yellow breast. There's something about these tiny birds that makes them look permanently interested in what everyone else is doing.

Did you know? Tomtits are only about 13 cm long and weigh around 11 grams. Despite their tiny size, they're fiercely territorial and will defend their little patch of forest throughout the year.

Wide Awake | Ruru (Morepork)

With those enormous eyes and watchful expression, the ruru always looks as though he knows something we don't.

Did you know? Ruru have specially adapted feathers that allow them to fly almost silently through the forest at night. Perfect for sneaking up on an unsuspecting moth or beetle!

Gathering | Titipounamu (Rifleman)

One of the tiniest birds I've ever painted, and full of character. I loved capturing this little fellow among the branches.

Did you know? The titipounamu is New Zealand's smallest bird. Its high-pitched calls are sometimes so high in frequency that we humans can't even hear them!

A Place to Pause | Kererū

And finally, my beautiful kererū. There's something about these big, gentle birds that makes me smile. Especially when they attempt to land on a branch that clearly wasn't expecting quite so much bird!

Did you know? Kererū play an incredibly important role in keeping our native forests healthy. They're one of the few surviving birds capable of swallowing the large fruits of trees like tawa and karaka, helping to spread their seeds and grow the next generation of forest. Learn more about kererū at the Department of Conservation.

Each of these paintings has taken many hours to create, building up layers of soft pastel to capture the textures, colours and little details that make each bird unique.

But more than anything, I've tried to capture their character.

That moment when a bird looks back at you and, for just a second, it feels as though you're both equally curious about one another.

So why am I giving away my prints?

Well, there's a reason beyond me having completely lost the run of myself with the pastels.

I want more people to experience the pleasure of living with wildlife art.

Not everyone is in a position to purchase an original painting or even a fine art print, and I don't think that should mean missing out on having something beautiful and meaningful on your wall.

But there's another reason too.

I'd love these four little birds to encourage people to take a closer look at the wildlife around them.

Maybe you'll choose the ruru because you've heard one calling at night.

Perhaps the kererū regularly visits your garden, crashing rather ungracefully through the branches.

Or maybe you'll discover a bird you've never really noticed before.

And the next time you see one, you'll recognise it.

You'll know its name.

You might even stop for a moment to watch what it's doing.

That's the part I love.

Because I think the more we notice and appreciate the natural world, the more we begin to care about protecting it.

And sometimes that connection starts with something as simple as a little painting on the wall.

A little piece of the forest for your home

To celebrate finishing the collection, I'm offering you the chance to choose one of the four birds as a free A5 print.

There's no catch and no purchase required. You simply choose the bird you'd love to have in your home and pay NZ$9.95 for postage and packing.

The A5 prints are produced on quality cardstock, and they're a lovely size for a shelf, a little frame or a quiet corner that needs something special.

If you fall in love with all four, there's also an option to add the other three prints to make a complete matching collection. And for those who would prefer something larger, I've included options to upgrade to A4 or A3 fine art prints.

But you don't have to do any of that.

If one little bird is all you'd like, that's absolutely fine.

Bringing a little more of the quiet wild into our lives

When I think about what I want my artwork to do, it's not simply to fill an empty space on a wall.

I want it to make people feel something.

To remind them of a place they've visited, a bird they've encountered, or a moment when they stopped long enough to appreciate the world around them.

That's really what The Quiet Wild is about for me.

Those small, often overlooked moments of connection with nature.

And if one of these little birds finds its way into your home and makes you smile, or encourages you to notice its real-life counterpart the next time you're outdoors, then I'll be very happy indeed.

So, which little forest bird will you choose?

Choose Your Free Forest Bird Print

The free A5 print offer is available for a limited time, so if there's one that's caught your eye, I'd love you to give it a home.

Karen x