04/09/2026
Highlighting Local Legends:
For decades, Gordon Thompson, co-founder of Earthlore and the Intenature initiative, has created original, unique, and thoughtful artwork, derived from nature.
His artistic process begins with using handmade brushes composed of Harakeke (New Zealand flax) leaves and hair; and his canvas is handmade paper from locally sourced plant fibres and natural materials, upon which he paints, using pigments derived from clays, soil, charcoal, and other natural resources. Each art piece is then displayed within a repurposed frame.
Each piece is a partnership between the artist, the collector, and the Earth itself; and is sold with an accompanying mission: to complete a small but meaningful act of environmental restoration.
Embracing the natural world is at the heart of the Intenature Challenge. It is a call to action: to enact something small, like planting a native tree, picking up rubbish, contributing to pest control and/or building a bird box or insect hotel.
I completed one part of the Intenature Challenge recently, by creating an Intenature symbol - a stick figure inside a leaf shape out of sticks, stones and leaves. The symbol represents the interplay between humanity and the natural world.
Look no further, here is your sign to lay down the devices and step into nature.
Photos: Sian Mair and Gordon Thompson. Sea lion photo taken from 10 meters away and zoomed in on.
