Medlands Beach, Great Barrier Island

Commissioned painting — 2007

Some commissions arrive with a brief. This one arrived with a plane ticket.

At the beginning of 2007 I received an email from a prominent Auckland businesswoman who had found my website and wanted a painting as a 50th birthday gift for her husband. The subject was Medlands Beach on Great Barrier Island — a place that had been close to his heart since childhood.

She invited my wife and I to fly up and stay in their beach house for a few days so I could gather the sketches and photos I needed. I gladly accepted.

On the day we arrived in Auckland I got about ten minutes with her before she had to leave. I asked her: "What scene exactly do you want me to paint?" She smiled and said: "You'll know it when you see it. Here's some food. Have a nice trip." And that was that.

So there I was — on a small plane that felt like a VW with wings, heading to an island I'd never been to, to paint a scene I'd never seen. I was freaking out.

We landed and were taken to the house late in the afternoon. That night the weather turned. By morning, Cyclone Becky had arrived. Everything was grey. I could just make out the trees through the rain. The following day was slightly better but still murky. By the third morning I had one full day left and still nothing to paint.

The forecast said it would clear. So I waited.

By around eleven o'clock the clouds began to part. The hills appeared. The trees sharpened. But the bay was still hazy. It wasn't until late in the afternoon that it finally opened up — and when it did, I understood immediately why she had sent me there. I was ecstatic.

Shortly afterwards, it clouded back in.

Over the following months I worked on what became the largest painting of my career at that point — 140cm x 80cm in egg tempera. I wanted it to be something special. I'm happy to say it was very well received.

The most amazing thing about Great Barrier Island is that it felt like I was so far from anywhere — and yet I was only a short flight from Auckland. So peaceful, so picturesque, with beautiful beaches and lush green rolling hills. Although my stay was short, I can see exactly why she sent me there. I'd love to go back one day.