Patricia Howitt

Silent Night in the New Zealand Forest

by Patricia Howitt

Art Print

$0.00

Collect your choice of gallery quality Giclée, or fine art prints custom trimmed by hand in a variety of sizes with a white border for framing.

A Laughing Owl (now extinct) keeps an eye on the movements of a potential meal - a large Kauri snail crawling in the foreground, while his mate comes winging in silently across the clearing behind. Mature Nikau palms (Rhopalostylis sapida) fringe the clearing and a group of Huhu beetles on the wing catch the light from the one bright star in the Milky Way above.

One of 36 illustrations for the book 'Taketakerau, The Millennium Tree', now available in New Zealand. Inspired by the virgin forest in the reserve above my house.

"Two thousand years ago on the far side of the world, a baby boy was born. He snuggled in his mother's arms, warm and sheltered in a stable. Cattle lowed softly in the hay while shepherds and kings laid down their gifts. In the vast black sky of twinkling stars, one bright, bright star beamed down a shaft of light.

Silent night, Holy night.

Meanwhile - two thousand years ago, a berry germinated in a forest in a land in the south seas. The tiny seedling nestled under the canopy where shafts of sunlight beamed through branches and leaves. At night, the wind moaned softly through the bush. Stars twinkled in the vast black sky.

Silent night." (Author Marnie Anstis)

See also some book spreads at
http://society6.com/PatriciaHowitt/Th...e-The-Book
http://society6.com/PatriciaHowitt/Th...Book-Award

Acrylic on board 15" x 20". Forest, trees, bush, laughing owl, whekau (Skeloglaux albifacies). Kauri snail (Powelliphanta), aotearoa, new zealand, milky way, stars, sky, Christmas, Xmas.