Pewter wall art, hand-embossed in Tauranga: meet our one-of-a-kind huia.
Some pieces you make and move on from. Others stay with you. Huia’s Lustrous Lacework is one of those. It’s a one-of-a-kind collaboration between me and Tauranga metal artist Ninette Kruger, the biggest pewter piece we’ve ever made together, and the last one from our series still looking for a home.
If you love our native birds, or you collect art for the story and the skill behind it, we’d love you to meet it.
Ninette Kruger with Huia’s Lustrous Lacework, our one-of-a-kind huia in pewter.
Why I drew the huia
I wanted to celebrate this country and everything that lives and grows here. New Zealand is the fabric of my being, so anything I draw about Aotearoa sits close to my heart.
And the huia has always captivated me. Honestly, what a bird. Those long tail feathers, glossy black with crisp white tips, were treasured. The male and female even had different beaks, his short and strong, hers long and gracefully curved. The last confirmed sighting was in 1907, and no one has seen one since.
Its story really gets me. To me, the huia is a reminder of the delicate balance between us and the world around us, and how much we need to look after the wildlife we’ve still got. The bird is gone. I didn’t want it to be forgotten.
So I brought it back the only way I could, line by line. I drew it wrapped in my lace and surrounded by native leaves, right back in the bush where it belongs. All those little patterns linking together are my way of showing how connected our natives are to the place they call home.
Me, Anna Mollekin, with my original huia lace artwork, where Huia’s Lustrous Lacework began.
Two artists, one huia
My lace artwork starts as pen on paper, then gets redrawn line by line in Adobe Illustrator. That’s where my part ends and the magic really begins.
Ninette is a professional metal artist with 25 years of experience, and she brought the huia to life in pewter using hand-embossing techniques she’s developed over her whole career. She presses the artwork into a thin sheet of pewter by hand, spending hours with her little tools raising every leaf, feather and swirl. Because it’s all done by hand, she naturally brings her own touch and vibe to it, so no two pieces could ever be the same.
In Ninette’s words: “Working with pewter allows me to transform a flat design into something with texture, depth and light. I shape every detail by hand, creating a unique piece that cannot be replicated.”
That’s what I love most about working with her. Two artists, two very different ways of working, and when they come together you get something neither of us could ever make alone. Huia’s Lustrous Lacework simply wouldn’t exist without her.
Once it was finished, Ninette sealed it in resin to protect it and mounted it on a sleek matt black panel, just in time for our pop-up shop in Ponsonby in 2023. Seeing it in person for the first time gave me goosebumps.
Every leaf, feather and swirl, hand-embossed in pewter by Tauranga metal artist Ninette Kruger.
How Ninette and I met
Back in July 2020, Ninette spotted my artwork in a Facebook group and sent me a message. She had a hunch my lace would look amazing in metal. She was right. Our first piece together was Kiwi’s Lace, then came the tūī, the fantail and more, and every one of them has found a home. Huia’s is the last.
We’d been working together for ages before we finally met face to face. I bumped into her at the Auckland Art Show, which is where this photo of us was taken. You can see more of Ninette’s beautiful work on her website.
Ninette Kruger (left) and me, Anna Mollekin, at the 2023 Auckland Art Show.
Living with pewter wall art
Here’s the thing about pewter: it never looks the same twice. Morning light makes the lace sparkle, and by evening the shadows sink into every swirl, so the huia seems to change as you walk past.
At 60 x 60cm it’s a real statement piece of metal wall art. It would look stunning in an entranceway, above the sofa, in a home office, or anywhere you want people to stop and ask, “Where did you get that?” It’s a special piece for an art collector, a gallery, or an interior designer looking for one-of-a-kind New Zealand native bird art for a client.
Styling inspiration: how Huia’s Lustrous Lacework could look above your sofa.
The details
Artwork: Huia’s Lustrous Lacework by Anna Mollekin and Ninette Kruger
Size: 60 x 60cm overall, including the black panel
Medium: Hand-embossed pewter, sealed in resin
Mounted on: Matt black aluminium composite (ACM) panel
Hanging: Ready to hang, it hooks straight onto screws in the wall
Made: 2023
Price: NZ$3,500 + shipping
Shipping: Anywhere in New Zealand. Overseas? Get in touch and we’ll get you a quote.
To enquire, head to our pewter wall art page and tap “Enquire about this piece”. Ninette looks after this one, and she’ll come back to you with more photos, shipping and payment details.
Love the huia but not ready for pewter?
My huia art is also available as art prints, framed or unframed, printed here in NZ. Have a look at Huia’s Lace Two and Huia’s Tapestry.
Thanks for reading, and for helping keep the huia's story alive.
Anna Mollekin · NZ artist