Artist Profile
Al Bell Artist
My Current Works
Uncover the essence of Maori tikanga woven into contemporary printmaking. My artworks embody the spirit of Aotearoa. Each creation narrates a unique story, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the cultural tapestry of New Zealand.
Please feel free to contact me for information about any of my work arananui37120@gmail.com
Mauri Ora
Dry Point Etching and Embossing on cotton rag
$475.00
Edition of 10 :- 6-10 available
Inspired by a helicopter ride over the mountains of Central Otago New Zealand to check the hives of bees collecting pollen from manuka flowers.
Toroa 11 Dry point etching and embossing on cotton rag
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$700.00
Edition of 10 :- edition sold
As a metaphor for life, the toroa’s journey is simple but powerful. We grow, we leave, and sometimes we return. Then we guide others to do the same. The cycle continues, not perfectly, but with uncertainty and change.
Karearea 11
Dry point etching and embossing on cotton rag
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$ 700.00
Edition of 10 :- 5 - 10 available
High above the mountains the karearea flies with strength and ease. It rides the wind with a quiet power that feels natural and free. like the karearea people show qualities of strength, courage and a will to succeed which you will see in friends, whanau and those you admire.
Tena koutou te ra hou
Dry point etching and embossing on cotton rag
$400.00
Edition of 10 :- 5 - 10 available
This piece shows the appreciation of waking refreshed, ready to greet the new day with
enthusiasm and wonder at what the day might bring.
Korimako
Dry point etching and embossing on cotton rag
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$380.00
Edition of 10 :- 5- 10 available
The korimako (bellbird) is a highly valued taonga (treasure) to Māori, primarily revered as a symbol of eloquence, excellence, and new beginnings. Because of their clear, melodious dawn songs, the birds are culturally synonymous with beauty, great oration, and community vitality.
Kuaka 11
Dry Point Etching and Embossing on Cotton rag
$680.00
Edition of 10 :- 5 -10 available
The Kuaka moves between two worlds. In this work the kuaka is more than a bird. It is a navigator of whakapapa, tracing invisible pathways between places of origin and return. Its wings carry stories across the Pacific, connecting Aotearoa to its ancestral homeland Hawaiki nui Hawaiki roa, Hawaiki pamamoa.
Kaitiaki o te Awa
Dry Point Etching and Embossing on cotton rag
$400.00
Edition of 20 :- 15 -20 available
Tuna (eels) are considered kaitiaki (guardians) of waterways and are deeply intertwined with the identity, history, and survival of iwi (tribes) throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kuaka
Dry point etching and embossing on cotton rag
$ 380.00
Edition of 10 :- 3- 10 available
Suspended between earth and sky, land and memory, the kuaka embodies
connection—between past and present, the living and the dead, here and elsewhere. Its
journey reminds us that distance does not sever our connections. It deepens them.
Ka Hoki Mai te Karere
Dry point etching and embossing on cotton rag
$400.00
Edition of 10 :- 7 -10 available
Rather than being seen as just a bad omen of imminent death, the piwakawaka is also seen as a messenger from the spirit world, sometimes representing loved ones who have passed
away.
Te Hokinga Mai (The Return)
Dry point etching and embossing on cotton rag
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$400.00
Edition of 10 :- edition sold
The kuaka is a kaitiaki of wairua (soul). It travels alongside the spirits of the departed, guiding them across the great expanse, ensuring they are not alone in their passage. In its endurance, there is care; in its direction, there is purpose.
E rua nga Piwakawaka
e rere ana kainga e te whenua
Dry Point Etching and Embossing on cotton rag
$680.00
Edition of 10 :- 5-10 available
A metaphor is created between people and the two piwakawaka in this piece that have taken to the air, flying over the motu looking for a place to settle, to nest and create their ‘kainga’ .
Here they are doing what we all hope to do after we have found our mate, we look for a
place we can connect to and call ‘home’
Toku Maunga Toku Awa
Dry Point Etching and Embossing on cotton rag
$400.00
Edition of 10 :- edition sold
Toku Maunga Toku Awa translates to 'My Mountain, My river' which refers to the place you identify with or refer to as home. It is often part of a "pepeha" for Māori.