From limited-edition fine art prints, to TinyArts, to personalized postage stamps, this boy sold out completely. He's now only available occasionally as a TinyArt piece or (in the future) gift ephemera. 

These adorable fantails have raced up the charts, ever since their predecessor, The Secret, sold out. At the time of writing, the large limited-edition prints of "The Chase (pīwakawaka)" have completely sold out, but small and medium prints are still available. These cuties are especially popular as TinyArt pieces too.

This adorable morepork has swooped up the charts to number three, and is the number one piece supporting Forest & Bird. Sweet Dreams looks amazing big or small and suits so many different types of framing. From rustic to gold, plain to fancy, she's just gorgeous! At the time of writing, she's still available as a limited-edition print in all sizes, but will soon start running out, especially the large prints. Like the others, she's also popular as a TinyArt piece, and I can't make enough of them.

These irresistible moss chickens were a late entry in 2021 but made a huge splash, quickly ousting other contenders from the top 5 spot. Based on photos of Sinbad and Hoki by Andrew Digby from Kākāpō Recovery, I set them in a magical cove that had people guessing where in Aotearoa it was (it's a cove in the Bay of Many Coves in the Marlborough Sounds). Hubby Linton came up with the name "A Hidden World (kākāpō)" after his experiences tracking kākāpō on remote Anchor Island. More recently, plans are forming to reintroduce kākāpō to the mainland, so perhaps their world won't be quite so hidden and more of us will be able to experience these incredible parrots in the wild. Because this is such a new print, there are still limited-edition prints available in all sizes. And unlike my other prints, there are two variations - square and rectangular - and people have strong preferences for one or the other. Which do you prefer?

If it wasn't for those charismatic kākāpō latecomers, "Her Mystery (tūī)" would be in the top 5. You've probably noticed that I love a gothic stormy backdrop, and the tūī colours suit that scene perfectly. She was created as a companion piece to our number one bird...

For the fourth year in a row, a tūī comes in at number 1! And this fella is number 1 by far, with over twice the number of prints sold and raising 50% more than the next on the list. He is "His magnificence (tūī)." In 2021, he appeared on huge digital billboards throughout New Zealand thanks to the online shopping portal Chooice as well as being included on their banner for months. He's also featured much smaller - as a personalized postage stamp (now sold out) - and at every size in between. Paired with "Her Mystery (tūī)", they make a stunning couple. 
​
Many of you will have met this particular tūī - he's the stroppy fella that defends the Tūī Terrace sugar water feeder at Zealandia.

Limited edition prints of His magnificence (tūī) are still available in all sizes, so maybe we'll continue to see his run in next year's top bird announcement! 

Thank you for all your support - every little bit you do makes a huge difference in raising the profile of our gorgeous native birds. From liking and commenting on social media posts, to telling a friend about your favourite bird artwork, to supporting wildlife through your art purchases, it's appreciated!

If you'd like to know which artworks support which conservation organizations, just take a look at the back of a print or TinyArt. It's also indicated on the description for each piece in my online gallery.

Do let me know in the comments which bird/artwork is your favourite, and who you'd like to see on the list in 2023!

Aroha nui

Judi

P.S. If you're curious as to who came out on top in previous years, check out:

• 2020-21 which bird raised the most
• 2019-20 can you guess which bird raised the most
• 2018-19 which bird raised the most funds
• 2017-18 which artwork raised the most funds for conservation

The only thing I hate about being a photo-artist is that it's hard to take advantage of all the yummy things in an art supply shop and it's much harder to post interesting progress photos showing all the delicious pigments and brushes used. Both are irresistable - more addictive than catnip! A photo of a Wacom tablet and stylus, or a printer and a box of printer ink, does not have the same appeal as a messy swathe of colour on a palette and a dripping brush!

But that's not the only reason I've taken up more mixed-media work to augment my photo-artistry. One thing I'm learning is that to keep inspiration going and skills progressing, it really helps to get more experience working with different artistic media. It has helped make me more observant and it's helped me tap back into the joy of creating for creatings sake - what I like to think of as a beginner's mindset. It's not really just an excuse to nip down to Gordon Harris or fill up a basket at Takapuna Art Supplies - honest!

Artist Karen Rankin is to blame - she started me on the slippery slope of mixed media when I bought a gorgeous kākā painting from her, all blinged up with shimmery inks and pearlescent pastels. She encouraged me to incorporate some shimmer into my photo-art (which can't be printed with a standard fine-art printer), and I've since used them in a variety of ways, including embellishing fine-art prints by hand, like "The Boffin" pictured above.

Creating with a beginner's mindset gives me more freedom to create for the hell of it, to make mistakes, and to experiment. Although I still have a ton to learn about photography and photo-artistry, I feel a basic competence and confidence when I pick up my tools, but I'm also in the mindset that this is how I make my living so I better get it right, which is not necessarily the best mindset for creativity.

A beginner's mindset is not without its challenges though. When I pick up a paintbrush, the insecurities flood in.  I hate failing (don't we all) and I know the only way to get any better at anything is to put the hours in. I'm finding it takes some fortitude to apply the paint to the paper and risk wasting expensive supplies. It can be 4:30 in the afternoon before I'm ready to commit and get started. But every now and then, a piece turns out great, and I'm inspired to keep on trying new things and creating.

For most of my art sales, I make a personal donation of 10% on your behalf to a wildlife organization (after commissions and GST, but before costs). I do this once a year after doing my taxes - it's my reward for getting them done because only then do I find out which bird raised the most for conservation! And for FY 2020 its (insert drum roll and fanfare) "Portrait of a tūī", closely followed by "I shall ride every storm".
The tūī really is NZ's most beloved bird!

You can check on the current TinyArt range here. 
​Thank you for all your support! 

I'm super-stoked to announce that "Unfurling (tūī)" raised the most for conservation - specifically Zealandia - in the last financial year! Most of my wildlife prints include a 10% donation to conservation, so it's a treat each year to work out who was number one! Thank you for your incredible support.

I'm delighted to announce that "Visions of Zealandia" raised the most funds for conservation in the 2017-2018 financial year! For most of my artworks, I donate 10% of my proceeds to specific conservation projects. This special piece is exclusive to Zealandia. If you purchase through this website, not only does Zealandia get a donation but they also get a commission equivalent to having bought it in their gift shop.

Do let me know which wildlife organizations you think I should support with new artworks.