New Zealand Odyssey: Reid's Store, Maruia

'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.

This old store stood at Maruia, on the Lewis Pass road across the Southern Alps from Canterbury to Westland. I did the black and white pen sketch in 1986 feeling pretty sure that the building was coming to the end of its life.

On the uneven clapboard wall of the doorway at the right end there was the notice board (below) tattered, corners missing, years of pin holes but showing a spark of life among the local villagers whose existences could have been quite hard - especially in alpine winters.

© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz

.