Birds and Animals - FIONA GOULDING Nature & Wildlife Artist Celebrating the Beauty of Nature

New Zealand Birds and Animals

There is beauty all around us whether found in the grace of a bird soaring through the sky, the intricacies of bark or the way the light falls on a fence. Fiona's exquisite paintings of New Zealand birds and animals celebrate this beauty.

A New Zealand Kingfisher perches on a bridge watching another kingfisher as it searches for food in the clear water.

A male Hedge Sparrow forages for food in the afternoon sunlight.

A grey warbler pauses in its search for insects in the tree bark to watch a monarch butterfly.

A New Zealand flies over a field of tussock grass and flax. The sunlight catches water droplets on the flax as well as a small spider's web.

A female Black Swan with her cygnets enjoy a quiet moment foraging for food in the water before their privacy is intruded upon by a welcome swallow and female mallard.

A group of blackbirds enjoy playing amongst the rubble which is all that remains of Christchurch Cathedral following the 2011 earthquake.

A Silvereye, also known as a Wax Eye or White Eye, is distracted by a monarch butterfly.

A female Mallard watches fish swim in a circle around her. They are likely too large for her to eat so she is happy just to watch.

Welcome swallows fly out to sea towards the early morning dawn.

Delicate feather resting on small pebbles.

Feather rests on grass after a journey on the wind.

Delicate feather resting on small pebbles.

A Welcome Swallow feeds her baby on the wing.

A female Mallard swims in the water while the sun dances on the surface creating a multitude of reflections.

A Cormorant settles on a rock at Redcliffs near Sumner in Christchurch and observes birds overhead enjoying the thermals.

Feather settles on small rocks and pebbles.

A New Zealand North Island Robin watches a monarch butterfly on the forest floor.

Feather settles on small rocks and pebbles.

A steer is distracted by a myna watching him from a nearby fence.

A female Highlander and her baby share the field and scenery in Northland with ewes and their lambs.

A group of welcome swallows converge on a power line, some vying for space.

A young Welcome Swallow peers over the rim of its nest as it contemplates its first flight.

'Choice' is an expression in New Zealand which means 'great' or 'fantastic'. This painting shows a young boy experiencing a choice moment, happily watching a family of rabbits from his hiding place in a hollow log. Rabbits are often referred to as 'bunnies' to children, emphasising their cuteness.

However, the reality in New Zealand is that rabbits are significant agricultural and ecological pests, so some degree of pest control is necessary. Methods of pest control vary as does the degree of compassion associated with each. They include the lethal Rabbit Haemorrhagic Virus Disease (RHDV1-K5) and organised mass shooting events promoted as fun family days out involving young children. This painting celebrates the innocence and joy of both children and animals but it also seeks to make one think about the effect of culture on a child's choices.

This painting focuses on the intelligence of pigs, their distinct personalities and strong social bonds. Like all animals, pigs are sentient beings which means they feel emotions and build relationships with each other, other animals and people. Pigs naturally enjoy rich forested environments, using their highly sensitive snouts to root among leaf litter, explore and forage for food. They are known to be among the most intelligent of all mammals.

In New Zealand, around 16,000 sows are confined in cages, known as farrowing crates, barely larger than their own bodies in the lead up to, and aftermath of, giving birth.This prevents the mothers from carrying out their natural instinctive behaviour - to build nests, interact socially with other pigs and care properly for their young.

Thanks to action by animal welfare organisations, in 2020 the New Zealand high court ruled the use of farrowing crates unlawful and indicated that changes would be required to the country's legislation. No action has yet been taken.

There won't be many people who don't look forward to the sight of new-born lambs signalling the start of Spring. They have so much energy and joy for life. Young children and animals share this 'joie de vivre' encapsulated in this painting. A young girl laughs with wonder at both the antics of lambs in a nearby field and the soap bubbles blown for her which capture their reflection.

This painting also denotes the fleeting moment of this wonder as the soap bubbles can burst at any time taking the lambs reflection with them which, in turn, is indicative of the lambs' brief life. They live, on average, only 4 months.

The peace and serenity of a morning's walk along a lagoon was shattered by gunfire. A few moments later two mallards glided to the safety of the wildlife refuge. It seemed bizarre that on the other side of the hills ducks fell prey to the killing frenzy that is duck shooting season, yet only metres away the birds were safe. As these birds flew in to land I was struck by their grace and agility and wondered, not for the first time, how anyone could take pleasure from killing and maiming these beautiful creatures.

'The Bond' focuses on the incredible strength and depth of the maternal bond. It is evident in humans and also in other animal species. The cow and her calf is a poignant sight particularly as they have so little time together. Calves are taken from their mothers at only a few days old to be killed as 'waste products' of the dairy industry or to replace worn out dairy cows.

This painting features Cindy the dairy cow with her calf Silva and is the prize for correctly working out the location of Silva in Fiona's book 'The Search for Silva'. You can see the sincerity of Cindy and Silva's unconditional love for each other.

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A New Zealand Kingfisher perches on a bridge watching another kingfisher as it searches for food in the clear water.

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

A male Hedge Sparrow forages for food in the afternoon sunlight.

AFTERNOON FORAGE

A grey warbler pauses in its search for insects in the tree bark to watch a monarch butterfly.

A New Zealand flies over a field of tussock grass and flax. The sunlight catches water droplets on the flax as well as a small spider's web.

A female Black Swan with her cygnets enjoy a quiet moment foraging for food in the water before their privacy is intruded upon by a welcome swallow and female mallard.

filter1 - INTRUDERS. Original available: 290mm x 400mm.

A group of blackbirds enjoy playing amongst the rubble which is all that remains of Christchurch Cathedral following the 2011 earthquake.

filter1 - LIFE AMONGST THE RUBBLE. Original available: 455mm x 315mm.

A Silvereye, also known as a Wax Eye or White Eye, is distracted by a monarch butterfly.

A female Mallard watches fish swim in a circle around her. They are likely too large for her to eat so she is happy just to watch.

filter1 - SURROUNDED. Original available: 300mm x 400mm.

Welcome swallows fly out to sea towards the early morning dawn.

Delicate feather resting on small pebbles.

Feather rests on grass after a journey on the wind.

Delicate feather resting on small pebbles.

A Welcome Swallow feeds her baby on the wing.

FEEDING ON THE WING

A female Mallard swims in the water while the sun dances on the surface creating a multitude of reflections.

A Cormorant settles on a rock at Redcliffs near Sumner in Christchurch and observes birds overhead enjoying the thermals.

filter1 - THE OBSERVER, REDCLIFFS. Original available (unframed): 490mm x 330mm.

Feather settles on small rocks and pebbles.

A New Zealand North Island Robin watches a monarch butterfly on the forest floor.

Feather settles on small rocks and pebbles.

A steer is distracted by a myna watching him from a nearby fence.

MYNA DISTRACTION

A female Highlander and her baby share the field and scenery in Northland with ewes and their lambs.

A group of welcome swallows converge on a power line, some vying for space.

A young Welcome Swallow peers over the rim of its nest as it contemplates its first flight.

TRUST YOUR INTUITION

'The Bond' focuses on the incredible strength and depth of the maternal bond. It is evident in humans and also in other animal species. The cow and her calf is a poignant sight particularly as they have so little time together. Calves are taken from their mothers at only a few days old to be killed as 'waste products' of the dairy industry or to replace worn out dairy cows.

This painting features Cindy the dairy cow with her calf Silva and is the prize for correctly working out the location of Silva in Fiona's book 'The Search for Silva'. You can see the sincerity of Cindy and Silva's unconditional love for each other.

'Choice' is an expression in New Zealand which means 'great' or 'fantastic'. This painting shows a young boy experiencing a choice moment, happily watching a family of rabbits from his hiding place in a hollow log. Rabbits are often referred to as 'bunnies' to children, emphasising their cuteness.

However, the reality in New Zealand is that rabbits are significant agricultural and ecological pests, so some degree of pest control is necessary. Methods of pest control vary as does the degree of compassion associated with each. They include the lethal Rabbit Haemorrhagic Virus Disease (RHDV1-K5) and organised mass shooting events promoted as fun family days out involving young children. This painting celebrates the innocence and joy of both children and animals but it also seeks to make one think about the effect of culture on a child's choices.

filter2 - CHOICE

This painting focuses on the intelligence of pigs, their distinct personalities and strong social bonds. Like all animals, pigs are sentient beings which means they feel emotions and build relationships with each other, other animals and people. Pigs naturally enjoy rich forested environments, using their highly sensitive snouts to root among leaf litter, explore and forage for food. They are known to be among the most intelligent of all mammals.

In New Zealand, around 16,000 sows are confined in cages, known as farrowing crates, barely larger than their own bodies in the lead up to, and aftermath of, giving birth.This prevents the mothers from carrying out their natural instinctive behaviour - to build nests, interact socially with other pigs and care properly for their young.

Thanks to action by animal welfare organisations, in 2020 the New Zealand high court ruled the use of farrowing crates unlawful and indicated that changes would be required to the country's legislation. No action has yet been taken.

filter1 - FAMILY TIES. Original available: 280mm x 500mm.

There won't be many people who don't look forward to the sight of new-born lambs signalling the start of Spring. They have so much energy and joy for life. Young children and animals share this 'joie de vivre' encapsulated in this painting. A young girl laughs with wonder at both the antics of lambs in a nearby field and the soap bubbles blown for her which capture their reflection.

This painting also denotes the fleeting moment of this wonder as the soap bubbles can burst at any time taking the lambs reflection with them which, in turn, is indicative of the lambs' brief life. They live, on average, only 4 months.

filter1 filter2 - JOY. Original available: 300mm x 430mm.

The peace and serenity of a morning's walk along a lagoon was shattered by gunfire. A few moments later two mallards glided to the safety of the wildlife refuge. It seemed bizarre that on the other side of the hills ducks fell prey to the killing frenzy that is duck shooting season, yet only metres away the birds were safe. As these birds flew in to land I was struck by their grace and agility and wondered, not for the first time, how anyone could take pleasure from killing and maiming these beautiful creatures.

filter1 - THE REFUGE. Original available: 280mm x 525mm.

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