Our Blog

This morning we drove into Queenstown. It’s a bustling tourist town with lots of cute little shops. The hillsides surrounding are full of little condos and homes overlooking the lake. We found a park to enjoy the sun for a little while. While we were sitting there a momma duck and her duckling came by and hung out for a while. The momma was content to let the little one wander while she napped beside our picnic blanket.

Because of the crowds, we weren’t too interested in sticking around in Queenstown. Most of the things to do in town seem to consist of paid activities and not too many free or picturesque options (though we didn’t look too hard for these). I would love to come back out of season and walk the streets.

Below, our delicious breakfast this morning, made in the shared campsite kitchen to give you an idea of the types of places we’ve been making our meals in. Read More

Read More

We started our morning early, as always. Before packing up I spent some morning time sketching on the beach. The cliffs along this section are particularly unique and I’ve been trying to take any and all opportunities to capture what we’ve seen down on paper as well as through photographs. Read More

We started our drive down the west coast today. Our drive took us right along the ocean. This side of the island gets the most rain so the hillsides are covered in rainforest. There is an abundance of ferns here.

Once we reached Punakaiki, rather than continuing on, we decided to get a campsite early. We stopped in at Punakaiki Beach Camp and rented a powered camping site right on the ocean.

Just down the road were the famous pancake rocks and blowholes with a nice path leading out to them. I would love to come back to this location and paint as the rock formations are spectacular. Read More

(Continuing our travels in New Zealand)

Today, as before, we woke up with the sun. I’ve loved these mornings here in the cabin. I know I’ve already said it but it’s so peaceful and life is simplified. We’ve decided that someday we will return and stay here or find a place that is this simple and remote. Read More

Continuing our travels in NZ…

This second day was simply wonderful. We woke when it was light out and I remember it feeling like it lasted an eternity. We spent so much time just relaxing. The sheep around the cottage were an amusement. We tried making friends but they would bleat and run off whenever we stepped outside. I sat in the grass for a long while sketching and a few wandered close but ran off as soon as Anson returned. Read More

We just got back from an epic trip to New Zealand’s South Island. The island is overflowing with beautiful scenery, a treasure trove of inspiration for an artist, and perfect for two explorers. I left feeling so inspired and brought back with me lots of little sketches and tons of photography to share with you. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll get right to it!

“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Read More