Ray Ching b. 1939
The Huia Painter
Oils on board
85.5 x 90.5 cm
Signed lower right
“ Huia are difficult birds to paint. They are difficult because neither you nor I have seen these birds foraging about the forest floor with their beautiful ivory-coloured beaks and...
“Huia are difficult birds to paint. They are difficult because neither you nor I have seen these birds foraging about the forest floor with their beautiful ivory-coloured beaks and can’t just exactly know of their movements. Perhaps above all, they are made difficult to paint because huia are so very much more than just beautiful forest birds; we have all of us so much invested in these birds, pride that such birds be born to these islands of ours and guilt that we should have allowed them to be lost...”
- Ray Ching