Birds of a Feather brings together painter Kirsty Nixon and sculptor Fiona Garlick in a collaborative exhibition at Little River Gallery (6–29 June 2026), exploring birds as enduring symbols within Aotearoa’s natural and cultural landscape. Through painting and sculpture, it reflects on birds as companions, messengers, and carriers of memory, and their deep connection to place, identity, and belonging.

While the wider exhibition includes both artists, this collection presents Kirsty Nixon’s paintings, focusing on lush native foliage, layered landscapes, and closely observed birdlife in richly immersive compositions. Her works capture fleeting moments of stillness within Aotearoa’s bush and coastal environments, inviting viewers to slow down and notice the quiet detail of the natural world.

Through vibrant colour and careful observation, Nixon’s practice reflects a strong connection to Aotearoa’s native flora and fauna. Birds emerge from dense, textured environments as symbols of movement, awareness, and place.

Birds of a Feather reflects on the shared fascination with birds across cultures and landscapes – figures that are both familiar and symbolic, grounding us in place while carrying memory and meaning.