I saw

I saw

30 × 40 cm

Ink drawing on Fine Art Paper

My inspiration for the ink drawing I Saw stems from a deep connection to the land and the intertwining history of New Zealand’s forests. The image itself is both a literal and metaphorical exploration of the relationship between human industry and nature. In the drawing, a vintage logging saw is depicted cutting into a log of native New Zealand timber, a stark symbol of the country’s logging past. But rather than merely focusing on destruction, I wanted to show a deeper, more complex narrative—a reimagining of the moment in which nature and human activity are not separate, but interconnected in a cycle of life, loss, and renewal.

The saw itself is an old, worn tool, a nod to the early days of logging in New Zealand. The timber being cut, from native species like rimu and beech, represents the historical extraction of these majestic trees for timber and other resources. Yet, as the saw cuts into the log, something unexpected emerges from within the grain: the forest itself seems to rise up. The tree line is not just felled, but reborn—greenery and growth spill forth from the saw’s path, suggesting that even in the face of human intervention, nature finds a way to endure and reclaim its place.

The presence of the lumberjack, old-fashioned in attire and demeanor, introduces a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era of New Zealand’s history. He sits at ease, smoking his pipe, as if to acknowledge the duality of the human experience within this landscape—acknowledging both our impact and our respect for the land. The native weka foraging beneath the trees further connects the human story to the natural world, grounding the piece in the biodiversity of New Zealand’s forests. Birds like the morepork, a native owl, watching from the trees, remind us of the creatures whose lives are intricately tied to these forests and the delicate balance of life within them.

Ultimately, I Saw is a meditation on the tension between conservation and exploitation. It reflects not just the beauty of New Zealand’s native forest, but the ever-present human hand in shaping its story. Through this drawing, I seek to capture both the nostalgia of the past and the hope for a future where both the land and its people can coexist in harmony.