The below article was published in Te Pānui Rūnaka in April 2022 and is repeated here to celebrate Bianca's success.

The below article is taken from Te Pānui Rūnaka - April 2022. With thanks to the original publishers for their support of our rangatahi.

My name is Bianca Lily Bryce
I turned 13 years old on 28 December 2021
My Rūnaka is Ngāi Tūāhuriri
My artwork is entitled 'Te Marama'

Last year, at Bohally Intermediate School, Blenheim, students were invited to submit an artwork depicting the moon in some way. As my idea came to me, I started the process as an A3 size sketching on paper.

The submissions were then considered for one artist to be selected to paint a mural for the school assembly hall. I was successfully selected to create the painting from many submissions.

As I thought about Matariki and the night sky, I decided to use this as a background to my work, showing the Southern Cross, with Marama rising behind a Wahine. The flax and fauna in the foreground had to allow the nocturnal animals to be camouflaged. My art then needed to be recreated onto a board approx. 750mm x 750mm. Using acrylic paints, it was important to choose the correct colours for the night scene. Adding highlights successfully to give the shadows in which the creatures were hidden. I have always been interested in art and continue creating both physically and digitally.

As a first year student at Marlborough Girls' College, I have not yet decided on my career path, but would like to use my artistic creativity in some way.