Full Immersion, my new exhibition at the Pop-Up Gallery at the Kiwibank in Paraparaumu (supported by Creative Kāpiti/Art Everywhere Project) was meant to open next week. While the exhibition now is postponed until it is safe again to move around in public spaces, I will give you a bit of an insight of this new work.

During uncertain times and especially during lockdown, my mental and spiritual health has hugely benefitted by spending time in the native bush. Luckily, the bush is just a couple of minutes away from my home. If you ever heard about Forest Bathing, this is what I did. Not every day, but whenever I felt the need to de-stress, detox or fueling myself with positive energy. Taking the forest through all my senses helped me to relax and think more clearly (apart from all the fresh air).

Forest Bathing: The art of forest bathing is the art of connecting with nature through our senses.
(Dr.Li)

While spending time with the children of Tāne-Mahuta, the god of the forest and birds, I have been collecting leaves, seedpods, bark and berries for my eco bundling. Even though I have been on and off exploring eco dyeing on paper, the commitment to develop a new series of work on paper for a solo exhibition, has enabled me to push my own boundaries.

The main work ‘Safe Space’ is a wall installation of about 70 pieces of eco dyed papers on ply wood. Since I am not able to show you images of the full installation, these hopefully give you an indication and show of the beauty of our ngahere/native bush.