'That Wanaka Tree, NZ' Original Painting
Original Oil Painting on Belgium Linen.
600mm diameter.
38mm side profile.
That Wanaka Tree, NZ captures the quiet beauty and unmistakable atmosphere of one of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes. Painted in 2016 while I was living in Wānaka, this original painting has remained in my personal collection ever since. It holds a special place in my journey as an artist and my connection to the Wānaka landscape.
“Nature can bring you to stillness. That is its gift to you.” — Eckhart Tolle
That Wanaka Tree, NZ found me during a quiet walk beside Lake Wānaka. Alone with the mountains, water and iconic lone tree, I was reminded that nature offers something greater than beauty alone — a sense of mystery, presence and peace that cannot always be understood through thought.
The soft mist and monochromatic neutral palette flow across Lake Wānaka and the surrounding mountains, while the fading sunlight creates a delicate golden glow across the landscape. The painting evokes that feeling of standing beside the lake at the end of the day — when the world becomes quiet, the mind settles, and for a moment, everything feels exactly as it should.
For me, this is the gift of nature: a doorway into stillness, inner calm and a deeper connection with ourselves. It is that feeling of coming home to something essential within.
The tondo (circular format) reflects the sacred and cyclical energy found in nature and within each of us — a symbol of wholeness, connection and divine presence.
Created for those who feel a deep connection to New Zealand landscapes, Lake Wānaka and the iconic Wānaka Tree, this original painting brings a sense of serene mountain beauty and contemplative stillness into the home.
That Wanaka Tree, NZ — a painting created while living in Wānaka, capturing not only an iconic New Zealand landscape, but a personal moment of stillness that has stayed with me ever since.
