Daniel Tohill

Daniel Tohill has been living on the shores of the Kaipara harbour for over 20 years. All the materials he uses in his work have come from fallen trees around the Kaipara and from trees he has grown himself.

For nearly forty years, my art has been rooted in the landscape—its forms, textures and rhythms, and the way we inhabit and belong within it. I have always been drawn to the landscape as something more than a view: it is a living presence, shaped by time, weather and human experience. More recently, my fascination with the texture, colour and individuality of wood has drawn me towards a more intimate scale. Through working with wood, I seek to distil something of the landscape into smaller forms—allowing its grain, imperfections and natural character to become part of the work. Each piece becomes a quiet encounter between the material, the hand and the forces of nature.