The Ōrākei Basin is a beautiful sheltered tidal lagoon located in a volcanic crater a short drive from Auckland City. The boat sheds & moorings are located next to the Ōrākei Road Bridge where the full tide laps against the foundations of the iconic boat sheds. I have revisited the Orakei Boatsheds numerous times, trying to capture a different moment each time. Since I first painted them, I had wanted to portray them related more evenly in their more open surroundings, rather than close up and focused on some more than others. Seven Moorings is painted to do this. I was very fortunate to visit them with the seven boats moored on the reflective water in the foreground, the tide rippling towards me. The bright orange boat makes the eye dart sideways and adds a thrill to the colour palette. I wanted to explore the subtle differences between each shed and have the golds and greens complementing the rich turquoise blues of the sea.
