Effulgent Self oil painting finalist in the Adam Portraiture Awards

The work toured the country with a select group of finalist portraits.

This is a self-portrait of my inner, creative being consisting of light.  I am clothed in a native kowhaiwhai flower, usually yellow in colour, and the way the petals sit on my shoulders resembles a korowai or a Maori cloak. The ears organically dangle into long earrings similar to leaf-shaped pounamu (greenstone) earrings. Growing from the back of my head is a huia feather, which traditionally signifies high status and dignity for Maori.

I created this work after I had my head shaved at the 2009 'Shave an Artist' event along with 12 other New Zealand artists. The event raised $20,000 for the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation.