E kara, haere, haere, haere. Moe mai, takoto mai rā.

This video and song is tribute to my dear friend, colleague and supporter Elizabeth Eastmond who passed away recently after a very dramatic, short-lived period of ill-health. Elizabeth was a leader and, perhaps ironically, a born rebel. She was considerate, supportive, perceptive, a deep thinker. I will miss her deeply.

I first met Liz when I was one of two male students (the other was Robert Leonard) taking a women in art paper in Art History at the University of Auckland (with Dame Cheryll Sotheran and Priscilla Pitts). Quite a tense atmosphere at times in that classroom.

My next real involvement was as a colleague teaching in the Department of Art History. Liz invited me to talk on Māori art history to one of her classes (nobody else in that Department did) and we found some common ground. Liz generously supported my first public exhibition ‘IOU’ at Tivoli, her Waiheke Island Gallery in 2016. She has been a major supporter of many of my public appearances and exhibitions since.

Elizabeth had all her own projects and continued writing and presenting on her own areas of interest – women in New Zealand art, Frances Hodgkins, Alexis Hunter, the war in Gaza, protesting against various forms of totalitarian behaviour…

We didn’t always share areas of interest. In fact our politics were sometimes quite different. We would go quiet or leave topics or people out of our correspondence or telephone conversations. But I think the important point is, as I reflect on her legacy, our differences didn’t stop us enjoying conversation and company. There was so much of interest that we did share – the differences didn’t really matter.

For those who knew and loved Liz there is a Memorial Service, Morra Hall, Oneroa, Waiheke Island, All welcome. 2 pm, 2 November 2025.