Pukeiti’s rainforest provides the perfect backdrop for metal sculptors Nathan and Destine Hull, whose exhibition is showcased in the Keiller Garden during the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival.
The creative duo has been breathing new life into discarded metal for more than 25 years, transforming everyday objects into captivating art. Nathan attributed his engineering background to helping him bring his first sculpture to life.
“One day, I just started mucking around in the shed, welding nuts and bolts together and ended up making a little motorbike. Everyone loved it, so I started making things for friends and then it just snowballed from there.”
Destine joined Nathan’s venture about 20 years ago, initially managing the shop during a busy summer. After learning to weld, the couple began collaborating on projects. Destine found that brainstorming and bouncing ideas off each other came naturally, making the creative process seamless.
“I would always say I had no imagination. Now, I’m making unicorns out of metal. Nathan’s the one with the ideas and we work well as a team. He pours out creative stuff and I play off that.”