This series started from a place of child-like curiosity, and wonder. 

I have been very privileged to have travelled through western Europe many times throughout my life, the first being when I was 9 years old. Looking back at this, I can see how these travels have deeply shaped who I am now. 

I grew up with the privilege of getting to explore a world of diversity - people, architecture, food, art, and cultures - as if I was in my own fantasy novel. What I have since realised was that, while growing and having these experiences, I moved from a place of uncertainty towards a deep sense of curiosity for the unfamiliar. I found excitement in stepping out of my comfort zone, and finding adventure. And, as if a sweet souvenir that I forgot I had purchased, when I got home I found that I had brought with me a renewed sense of wonder and curiosity for my familiar surroundings too. All of a sudden I was able to see things which had all previously seemed so normal and uninteresting - the native New Zealand flora, the dairy that has the really good mince pies, or the sound of the Tui bird - and view it all as so very precious. They were not things that existed on the other side of the globe, but rare beauties that should be nurtured. I am so grateful for the opportunities to grow up travelling as it has led to my appreciation of differences in people, cultures, and climate, and to see diversity as a precious thing that makes our world as wondrous as it is.

This particular series is based on my last trip to western Europe, where I spend much of it travelling along the Mediterranean coast. It was during a turning point in my life where the future was uncertain. But through my exploration, I found that sense of adventure came rushing back. I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew I would spend all of it trying my best to be curious and to appreciate what surrounded me along the way.