| Ribbon - story |
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Ribbon in the Sky - Five 1.m panels
Maiia: I painted this piece while homeschooling on author C.S Lewis. Reading aloud The Chronicles of Narnia. In one book Lewis has Reepicheep the warrior mouse row off in faith the "furtherest East" which I happen to know something about.
You cant be much further East than Gisborne in Aotearoa and the continent of many nations we call Australia. Except this unfortunate place where Russia joins to Alaska where the people arent allowed to go fishing and practise their culture... but I digress...
The principal narrative comes from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I painted Reepicheep into panel four rowing in to Young Nicks Head (Captain Cooks cabin boy who 'discovered New Zealand) In the colonial story it's like Botany Bay in New South Wales And.... Trinity Inlet of far North Queensland-as well. Apparently Cooks journals document the magnificence of trees still growing at Palm Cove today. 
Ribbons in the sky, and ribbons through the water. Moving with continuity and with embracing arms in opposite corners "As above so below." The energy of light- On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Further into the creation Reepicheep is parked up under a mango tree in panel two. Later still he disappeared altogether from the picture. I was wondering at the minds of the Europeans that they carried the cold of England with them - why did they go roads and fences and banks when they could have been relaxing, fishing and gardening. Grateful for the wonderous fertile world of warmth and plenty.
They named this part of Aotearoa -POVERTY Bay Whangara - where The Whalerider was filmed This work followed Hope -also with a sun theme. It began with the three centre panels - other two added into the design months later. |