Sixty children from Waikanae School, with the help of the same number of shoeboxes, have turned a walk in the forest at Ngā Manu Nature Reserve into artworks being exhibited at Kāpiti Coast District Gallery, Toi MAHARA.
The children, aged between eight and ten, are all pupils at Waikanae Primary School. They are the 2025 artists contributing to the Toi MAHARA, Ngā Manu Nature Reserve Children’s Art and Environment Project, run annually with the support of the Philipp Family Foundation and now in its 13th year.
The children spent a morning at Ngā Manu Nature Reserve, exploring the lowland forest with ranger Rhys Mills and iwi educator Mohi Edwin.
Gallery Director Janet Bayly says the children were introduced to, and learned about, the many different kinds of birds, insects, plants, flowers and seeds in the forest.
“They also spied tuatara, got up close to a stick insect and learned how to tell a manuka from a kanuka,” she says.
Later, they settled down with sculptor Michelle Walton to reflect on what they had seen and turn it into art.
Working on her twelfth project, she encouraged the children to choose one of three layers of the forest and create their own three-dimensional representation of it – a diorama using recycled cardboard.
The bottom layer represents the roots, mosses, flora and fauna that dwell there; the middle layer, trunks and branches that house birds and insects; and the top layer, the canopy of the tallest trees.
But to create a diorama, the children needed boxes – and shoe boxes are the idea size.
“I found a shoe shop, Number One Shoes + Hannahs in Levin who were very happy to give away their unwanted shoe boxes,” says Michelle Walton.
“I’m always so impressed and thrilled by what children can achieve given the opportunity.”
“My impression is there’s great excitement at having the opportunity to make something fun, creative and a bit different from normal classroom art activities. I feel really grateful to have shared in the experience the children have.”
“They always look so excited to have had the entire experience and also proud of what they have created.”
Michelle Walton is a graduate of Ilam Art School, Canterbury University. She is now based at Manakau, south of Levin. She has been exhibiting her sculptural works since 2002 in galleries, at sculpture conventions and at Auckland gallery, Public Record.
As well as creating a diorama – all 60 of which are now on the wall in Toi Waipuna, Toi MAHARA’s Community Space – 14 of the children joined writer Kirsten Le Harivel to create poems inspired by the forest. An audio visual presentation of the work is available to view as part of the exhibition.
Te Ngahere, Waikanae School children’s creations, runs until 23 November, 2025.