Don Binney is well known for his clean-edged modernist paintings of birds in the landscapes of New Zealand. In his search for subject, he is inspired by dramatic wilderness areas and environments, which he draws from to express both his passion for painting and his love of ornithology and nature.

In an interview with Patricia Sarr and Tom Turner in 1977, Binney described his motivation for painting: I paint and draw because I'm thoroughly committed to and involved with environmental, natural stimuli - the landscape, the wild-life...you must approach the landscape or the bush with reverence.

Binney's earliest paintings were predominately landscapes, the approach of which can be traced to styles found popular i...