I never thought I’d become a north Islander. When I came back to New Zealand in 2007 in was only going to be here for six months, then I would be back off to Europe, climbing in summer and skiing in winters. I found myself home facing a whole summer ahead of me empty of plans. For some reason I had the idea of becoming a sea kayak guide. I’d been on a sea kayak trip with my family as a teenager and we spent a windy week in the Marlborough Sounds in kayaks during my outdoor course and I’d loved it. I felt at home on the ocean and enjoyed discovering the coastline at close range. I also thought that I’d spent a lot of time travelling in other countries yet seen little of the North Island. So I put the two together, bluffed my way into some work experience in Hahei and got myself a summer job never imagining that it was arriving in an artists paradise that would eventually become my home.

Sea kayak guiding in Hahei was physically really hard work. Not so much the kayaking but the loading and unloading trailers, pulling kayaks around the beach and launching and landing kayaks through surf. I loved it; the job, the place and especially the people. You’d hope so because Tyrell also started guiding that season and that’s where we met. Some of the other guides have also stayed in the area and are some of our closest friends today, in fact more like family.

Back in those days we worked every day the weather was good and there were bookings. By the time a half day off came my way I was shattered and often spent my time painting. I mainly painted landscape and often from life, walking around the coast with my backpack full of paint and a giant canvas in my hand finding the perfect island filled view. I had no direction or purpose, I just knew I loved to paint and it was something that I needed to do. There was no real aim or goal, I was quite lost.

Then at the end of 2009 Tyrell and I packed our kayaks with our camping gear and a whole lot of food and headed north……

Our adventure took us along the coast of the Coromandel, Great Barrier Island and Northland. We had no set destination and no time limit. The focus wasn’t so much on the physical challenge; it was more about enjoying and learning as much as possible about a region rich in history, our native flora and fauna and ourselves. For five weeks we lived a simplified style of life. Our days revolved around exploring and admiring all the caves, tunnels, rock gardens and wildlife that crossed our path.

The following summer I bought a box of canvases and like usual would spend bad weather days and days off painting. I was about four paintings in before I realised that I was painting our adventure. In the past I was captivated by the colour, light and changeability of the landscape and enjoyed capturing this on canvas. However I now felt there was more of a story to tell, a deeper message than just what the eye can see. The images I created had taken on a design element; they were vibrant and felt like paintings of substance. They were more than just beautiful pictures, they told a story; the story of our journey. I endeavoured to capture those moments that were funny, terrifying or beautiful; the memories that shaped our experience.

I had that wonderful ‘aha’ moment that has shaped my career. All of a sudden I had a purpose. I didn’t even realise it was missing until I had it and looked back. Although I’d been painting a long time already and had sold paintings on canvas and been commissioned to paint murals I feel that it was here that my career as an artist truly began. This series revealed my ‘Turangawaewae’ and the importance of painting in my life. I had discovered how to combine my passion for painting with journeying in the outdoors.

When I gaze at these paintings they transport me back to those places. I feel the sea spray in my face, the cold night air, taste the fresh seafood dinner and hear the cascading rivers by our campsites. It became my mission to create art that conveyed my sense or awe and wonder at the incredible place we live in the hope that it inspires people to go and explore it for themselves. That mission remains with me today.

Great Barrier Nikau: These are the nikau woven above our heads as we relaxed in the natural hot pools on Great Barrier Island.

Kahawai: Tyrell caught 17 kahawai and one kingfish (that got away) during our journey, they’re all in this painting.

I was building up quite a collection of paintings by the middle of summer and really wanted to keep going. I looked into finding gallery space to show them and found a gallery in the Arts Centre in Christchurch. You were able to rent this space for a very reasonable sum and man your own exhibition for a week. It even came with a liquor license and I could hold an opening night. The only problem was there was a three year wait list. I signed up and also put my name on the cancellation list. In the meantime we left Hahei to catch the end of the apple picking season in Motueka. Tyrell was a seasoned apple picker and thought we could earn some good money and explore the area in our time off.

I soon found that I was average at apple picking and all I wanted to do was work on my paintings. So we would start our day in the orchard picking in the same row. Tyrell could pick the tops as fast as I could do the bottom half of the trees. He would throw his ladder into a tree and be running up the rungs even before it touched the ground. We would go as fast as we could until the boss came around and checked on all the workers. Once he left we knew we were safe until well after lunch so I would sneak home to the staff flat, draw all the curtains, set up reading lamps and paint.

About halfway through our time there I received an email from the Arts Centre asking if I’d like to take a cancellation date at the end of August. I said yes and the pressure was on. After the apple picking season ended we headed to Christchurch. Tyrell found a job on a dairy farm just outside of Dunsandel. There was a tiny one bedroom house with the job so we both moved in. It was pretty awful for Tyrell. He grew up on a dairy farm in Northland with rolling hills, small herds and green grass. This was flat, dry, a massive herd, huge hours but worst of all the boss had no empathy for his herd. Tyrell was forever trying to save animals or improve their quality of life.

Wiwiki Beach: This was just north of the Bay of Islands. WE camped on this beach and during the night were treated to kiwi calls all around us. In the morning our tent was surrounded by their tracks.

The exhibition date rolled around and I was ready with 17 paintings all about our journey up the Northland coast. It was incredibly satisfying to hang them all and feel proud of my first full collection of work. It was even better having all my friends and family come and celebrate it with me. I sold most of the originals and a whole lot of prints. I only printed five of each image so most are sold out and now all of those paintings have gone to new homes. Once the week was done I packed up and moved out. The next night the first of the Christchurch earthquakes struck severely damaging a lot of the Arts Centre.