We will queue for hours, pay exhorbitent entrance fees and battle crowds to see the creations of man yet some of the best art is often contained in Nature’s Galleries which we so often speed past or just plain ignore.

We were lucky enough to visit one of these special galleries during a recent camping stay on the Karikari Peninsula in Northern New Zealand.

There was no hassle in getting to the gallery, just catch shanks’ pony from Matai Bay to Karikari beach – entry to the gallery is free and it is open all hours. Just watch out at high tide – the very realistic seascape that adorns the entire western wall of the gallery is a ‘living display’ and at times you actually feel as though the water is swishing around your feet – amazing piece of technology that powers this. Enjoy our pictures of this special place – note: photos were allowed.

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‘Uprooted’ – an abstract that depicted some seaweed torn from it’s home and dumped on a beach
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Another absract – ‘forced integration’ – shells and seaweed have no choice but to coexist in their new environment.
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‘Forced out’ – this picture depicts the sad tale of a shellfish that had to leave it’s home when surrounded by seaweed.
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‘fish-out-of-water’ – what can happen when we abandon our natural habitat.
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‘Space invaders’ – a weird bearded intruder
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A seascape by Nature – a splendid blend of colour and activity 
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‘Lost’  This got you thinking about not just survival in a hostile environment but overcoming the odds and flourishing.
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The Mural that formed the western wall of the gallery – an ever changing pallete of blue, white and cream – with the volcanic cone as a backdrop.
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‘Shells’ – there were so many paintings that features shells it was hard to pick one that stood out
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“Loner’ – so many of the paintings depicted the saftey of communities – shells, seaweed, gulls – but this one got you thinking about the lonely existence some choose.
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‘Grave yard’ – a resting place for discarded shells.
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‘Solitude’ – pretty much summed up the atmosphere of this huge gallery 

 

 

3 comments

  1. Really, really lovely! Beth has spent the last few weeks washing shells from our most recent trip and some of our friend’s shells as well. We try to be picky and not bring back too many – and never bring any “live” shells back at all. Yes, we agree, they are absolutely glorious and astounding pieces of art.

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