It was an honour to work alongside Karen Ngatai and the Taumarunui Revitalisation Taskforce to create a trail of eleven native bird carvings through the historic Manson Gardens in the heart of Taumarunui.
With the support of eleven generous local sponsors, each bird found a permanent home within the gardens. Carved from a variety of beautiful native timbers, the project became a true labour of love that evolved over several years, with plenty of challenges and memorable moments along the way.
Each sculpture was carefully positioned to complement the character of the gardens, creating a trail that encourages visitors to slow down, explore, and discover some of New Zealand's remarkable native birdlife. Subtle lighting was later added so the carvings could continue to be enjoyed after dark.
Creating this project for my hometown has been one of the greatest privileges of my artistic journey. Seeing families, visitors and locals stop to admire the birds, take photographs and enjoy the gardens has made every hour worthwhile.
Looking back, this project reminded me that public art has the power to become part of a community's story.
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