Provenance:

Private Collection, London, Purchased from International Art Centre, 2000

Illustrated:

p. 58 Ray Harris-Ching Journey of An Artist. Text by Carol Sinclair Smith, Gulf Publishing 1990

p. 118 New Zealand Birds, An Artist's Field Studies Raymond Ching and Grahame Turbott QSO, Reed Methuen Publishers Ltd 1986

Anyone who has camped out in the New Zealand forests will know these handsome rails to be inveterate camp raiders. I've tried to imply the bold personality of these birds, so long isolated from danger that they have lost the power of flight and have confidence enough to rummage through tents and take food direct from your plate.

I wanted the painting to acknowledge the conventions of a 19th century ornithological stone lithograph by its general composition, texture and colour.

Raymond Ching p. 59 Text Ray Harris-Ching Journey of An Artist