Acrylic on board | Vintage ornate frame | Resin finish

A Tui perches with quiet dignity atop a porcelain teacup adorned with a painted fox, surrounded by soft sprays of manuka blossom. This poetic pairing of native New Zealand bird and English woodland creature evokes themes of migration, memory, and the layered stories we carry.

Painted in acrylic on native Rimu and sealed under a glossy resin finish, this artwork is housed in a found vintage frame, echoing the heirloom nature of both the cup and the tale it holds. The Story Within the Cup is part of my reflective series exploring connection, heritage, and the symbolism of nature through reclaimed materials and narrative still life.