The prompt of light reminded my of my trip to Rakiura / Stewart Island which has often been the forgotten island of New Zealand. Like at anchor at the bottom of the country it is inhabited by 400 people on a permanent basis but is home to several thousand tourists each year. Situated 30kms (19 miles) south of the South Island and is the largest of a group of 170 islands.

My family (husband, two sons and their partners plus first grandchild) decided we should have a family holiday and all were keen to go to Stewart Island to see the bird and marine life. The island is home to approx 15000 kiwi birds which is our national bird and flightless. They are also nocturnal.

Beside the house we had rented was Observation Rock which is high up in the wildlife and a place where people come to view the amazing sunsets at the bottom of the world with the next stop Antarctica. On our last night the skies were exceptional in bright oranges, reds and yellows radiating around all the islands.

To capture the sunset I sun printed the fabrics using a mix of yellow and red paint. I scrunched up the wet fabric and left it to dry on a hot sunny day. The other fabric is base of black and paint.

Size 40in High x 18in wide. Raw edge applique and machine pieced and quilted