After recently travelling through the breathtaking Arthurs pass I was quite surprised to suddenly leave the 40cm of fresh snow blanketing the landscape as we dropped down the Otira Gorge to a flooded countryside. The peaks held little snow, waterfalls cascaded down bluffs and the Otira River spread across the riverbed with a very strong flow (not something I’d attempt to cross). This brought back memories of a contrasting time during summer with my friend Dulkara, meandering across the Otira River and constantly picking our way back and forth across the Taramaku River. Then traversing the tops finding the creeks and tarns dried up, only small muddy puddles, always constantly seeking out water. We did have one slightly dehydrated night on the top of Mt O’Shanessy with our thirst quenched at a small muddy tarn further on filled with deer poo in the morning.
I also remember dropping down to the Crooked River at the end, the crystal clear fast flowing water, it was over waist deep and looked beautiful yet impassable on arrival. However further down it spread out and was the most refreshing wade back to the track. Such a changeable landscape, and it would have been interesting to see how the Crooked fared with the rain.
Inspired from this earlier adventure I have been working on a painting of Lake Morgan viewed from Mt O’Shanessy. We camped, perched on one side of this peak, in a small hollow trying to keep out of the wind, squashing each other most of the night. The views were breathtaking, despite the chilly night breeze, watching the evening and morning light stream in between the mountains. This painting (still at a very early stage) captures the evening light filtering through the mountains and highlighting the tops.
Visit here to read the more about this adventure: https://www.bellamygallery.co.nz/collections/works-in-progress
Now officially available as a limited edition art print isSundown at Lake Morgan, Mt O'Shanessy, West Coast, New Zealand - available in four sizes available to fit your space perfectly. This art print is an archival quality reproduction made from the original painting...
Although already late in the year this is the first original I have released for 2024. Sundown at Lake Morgan has been both a challenge and a pleasure to work on with the delicate sun haze fades combined with very subtle colour mixing and as always the intricate detail kept me very busy.
Friday/Sat just gone was looking like a really nice but short weather window. Husband and kids had taken off on Thursday with their Aunty, and Grandma and Grandad to check out the Molesworth and stay at Saxtons Hut. I had quite a bit of work on so decided to get up early Fri and 4WD up the Leatham Valley and walk in to the hut to meet them. After getting briefly stuck in the river on the way up I set off from Bottom Gordons Hut, up Gordons Stream and over Saxton Saddle and was greeted by the gigantically...