Dream Zealand (Safe Harbour)

Happy Birthday Sam Neill!

This painting, my first in nine years, is a birthday gift to a consummate artist and all-around Really Nice Guy. Though I don't know him personally, he has unwittingly inspired me a great deal this year and I wanted to express my gratitude in some meaningful way.

The landscape is from my own dreams and repeated viewings of the wild, beautiful scenery in the films "The Piano" and "Perfect Strangers." I have never been to NZ, so any kiwis reading this, take it as my own feverdream and not at all intended as an actual landscape! (Someday I'll go. When I'm rich and famous. Or at least rich.)

Please also take a look at the detailed image, also posted in my Gallery here.

Liquitex Acrylics on cotton duck, 11x14". Photographed with my crappy old camera since I didn't have a big enough scanner or an actual line camera.