Student turns art into fundraiser
Sophia Meldrum has turned her passion for the environment into a fundraiser for Wellington wildlife sanctuary Zealandia.
Originally from Auckland, but now studying design at Victoria University of Wellington, the 20-year-old was looking for an endof-year project to complete her degree. ‘‘I was really confused about what to do and the tutor said ‘what is your passion’ and I said ‘the environment’.’’
She turned the three paintings that resulted into postcards and donated her work to Zealandia, to use as a fundraiser.
The original paintings took a lot of work, with Zealandia supplying pictures of hihi (stitchbird), kereru and kowhai flowers, for her to work off.
‘‘I am not sure that I would have got them done without lockdown, but it kept me busy.’’
Her interest in art developed at Baradene College, where she found the art teachers really inspiring.
Picking up rubbish led to her passion for the environment and what she could do to protect it.
Her long-term aim is to turn her love for New Zealand’s native flora and fauna, and her soon-tobe completed degree, into a fulltime job.
Coming to Wellington had been inspiring and she had been impressed with the birdlife.
‘‘I was in Kelburn and it was just incredible to have kaka flying around.’’
Zealandia deserve a lot of credit for the amount of birdlife in the city and she hoped her postcards would help it.
She supported its aim of restoring Wellington’s forest and freshwater ecosystems and, as to her favourite bird, she said that was easy. ‘‘I really like hihi, they are really cute little things.’’