What does pride look like when nobody is asking you to prove anything?

For me, it looks a little like this bird.

I have always loved making birds, but there was something about Nectar Collector that quickly became more than colour and shape.

It was the pride.

Not loud pride.

Not something performative.

The kind that comes from knowing who you are and simply standing there in it.

There is something wonderfully self-possessed about this tūī. Against that brilliant green ground, surrounded by bold blue marks and flashes of red, it feels completely comfortable taking up its own space.

That feeling became the heart of this original New Zealand tui wall art.

The artwork began with an upcycled canvas and evolved intuitively. Acrylic offcuts, fragments of old signage and resin were shifted, layered and reconsidered until the bird emerged with its own character.

I didn’t map every decision out first.

That is part of the pleasure for me.

I like giving myself enough room to respond to what is happening in front of me — moving a shape, finding a colour relationship, discovering that something intended for one purpose suddenly makes perfect sense somewhere completely different.

Through my Circular Elevation process, materials that had already lived one life were given another.

But when I look at Nectar Collector now, I don’t think first about what those materials used to be.

I see presence.

Colour.

Character.

Pride.

Perhaps that is what you see too.

Or perhaps it reminds you of someone who has always walked into a room completely themselves.

Someone colourful.

Someone quietly confident.

Maybe it reminds you of the version of yourself you feel most at home being.

That is one of the things I love about living with art. Over time, the reason we chose a piece can become much more personal than the story the artist began with.

Nectar Collector has enough energy to make itself known across a room, but the closer you get, the more its individual layers, marks and tiny material details begin to appear.

It was made to bring personality into a space.

And perhaps to offer a small daily reminder:

You don’t need permission to take up your own space.

Artwork Details

Artwork: Nectar Collector Artist: Lisa Watkins | MyShinyMadness Location: Auckland, New Zealand Artwork type: Original contemporary mixed-media wall artwork Edition: One of one Dimensions: 84 × 64 cm Orientation: Portrait Price: NZ$1,200

Materials

Upcycled canvas, acrylic offcuts, repurposed signage, upcycled frame and acrylic resin.

Circular Elevation

Nectar Collector was created through Lisa Watkins’ Circular Elevation practice, transforming storied and overlooked materials into a new contemporary artwork.

Fragments of acrylic and signage that once belonged to entirely different visual environments now become plumage, botanical detail, structure and pattern.

Their former purpose remains part of their history, but it no longer determines what they are allowed to become.

Perfect Placement

Nectar Collector was made for a space that can handle personality.

The vivid green ground and strong blue forms make it particularly effective against deep charcoal, blackened timber, dark green, warm neutrals and clean white architectural walls.

It would sit beautifully in:

• a contemporary living room

• dining space

• entranceway

• architectural kitchen

• home office

• executive workspace

• boutique accommodation

• hospitality interior

• a collector home that isn't afraid of colour

Against a darker wall, the green becomes almost luminous.

Against a light wall, the whole artwork feels fresh, graphic and energetic.

This is a particularly strong piece for someone who wants their home to feel individual rather than simply decorated.

Presentation

Nectar Collector is presented in an upcycled timber frame and is ready to hang.

The artwork has been considered as a complete object, with the framing forming part of the material story rather than simply surrounding it.

Beautifully resolved from every angle, because craftsmanship shouldn’t stop where the artwork ends.

Collector Information

Original: One-of-one artwork Artist: Lisa Watkins | MyShinyMadness Dimensions: 84 × 64 cm Materials: Upcycled canvas, acrylic offcuts, repurposed signage, upcycled frame and acrylic resin Presentation: Framed and ready to hang Certificate: Signed Certificate of Authenticity included Price: NZ$1,200

Acquisition

Nectar Collector Original one-of-one artwork 84 × 64 cm Lisa Watkins | MyShinyMadness

NZ$1,200

Available directly from Lisa Watkins following its Private Collector release.