Michelle Bellamy paints Kahurangi National Park because it is close to home and offers an extraordinary landscape to explore, from rugged ranges and alpine tarns to remote valleys, tussock and native beech forest. Regularly exploring the area gives her the opportunity to experience its changing light, weather and seasons firsthand, developing a strong connection with the landscape. She is drawn to Kahurangi’s sense of remoteness and its relatively untouched character, as well as the stories held within its huts, tracks and backcountry places. Through her paintings, Michelle celebrates a landscape that is both familiar and wild, capturing the distinctive beauty of Nelson’s surrounding wilderness.
