Anna Scott, Portrait of a Riroriro

Portrait of a Riroriro

By Anna Scott

Portrait of a Riroriro is part of Anna Scott’s distinctive 800mm round portrait series, an ongoing collection of intimate head-focused studies of Aotearoa’s native birds. Created in pencil on natural ply and sealed for longevity, each portrait captures a moment of connection—inviting viewers to pause, breathe, and be present, just as we do when a bird’s song rises through the quiet.

The riroriro (grey warbler) is often heard but rarely seen. Small, soft in colour, and modest in appearance, it carries a voice far greater than its size—a long, tumbling, rain-calling song that fills the forest with unexpected power. In this portrait, Anna honours the bird’s gentle presence and its remarkable song by capturing it in a moment of stillness, allowing us to appreciate a creature we so often overlook.

Through delicate pencil work and careful attention to expression, the portrait brings the riroriro forward from its usual hiding places, offering a rare, quiet encounter with a bird that is both unassuming and extraordinary.

Within the broader series, Portrait of a Riroriro becomes a reminder that beauty does not always come loudly or boldly. Sometimes it arrives softly—an echo in the bush, a call before rain, a fleeting moment that asks only that we slow down and listen.

Media: Pencil on ply (sealed)
Dimensions: 800 mm diameter
Series: Portraits of a Bird
Artist: Anna Scott – Taranaki, Aotearoa