Nora Shayeb

Longing for a life-style connected to the natural world, I left Germany in 1986 to travel the world. In 1991 I immigrated to New Zealand and spent many years tramping, diving, sailing all over the country, as well as the South Pacific Islands and Australia.
A self-taught sculptor-painter-photographer, I have worked in a variety of media such as stone, wood, glass and bronze for more than 25 years. Inspired by my experiences and my immediate environment my works are witnesses of my life… and expressions of how I perceive the world.
Having fallen in love with Australia’s unique wild creatures and spectacular landscapes some time ago, I immersed myself in learning about the conservation issues of this magnificent country.
The whole world focuses on the looming extinction of a few species like the Polar Bear and the Orangutan, which is of course tragic. But, hardly anyone knows that the Koala and many other unique Australian species are facing extinction in the very near future.
Australia’s natural world is unbelievably diverse and fascinating. Its wild creatures are unique and precious. They are the jewels in the crown of Australia. To portray the preciousness of Australian wildlife and emphasize the fragility of their existence I created miniature sculptures.
Designed to fit in the palm of your hand, they create a physical and at the same time an emotional connection…. and so evoke a sense of protectiveness… symbolising that the responsibility for the survival of wildlife lies indeed ‘in our very hands’.
I limited the edition of each species to only 50 pieces, to remind us that there isn’t an unlimited supply of wild creatures.
My Wildlings are ambassadors, carrying a message out into the world:
"Planet Earth is a living organism, an all-encompassing ecosystem. We are intrinsically interconnected with every part of the natural world. What we do to other life forms, we do to ourselves and has global consequences. My Wildlings are a reminder of our collective responsibility for the well-being of this beautiful Planet Earth and ALL its magnificent wild Beings."