Kieran Rynhart

Kieran Rynhart is an illustrator and artist based in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. His work centres around the creation of “little worlds”—illustrations that act as snapshots of larger, imagined landscapes. Each piece is designed to suggest a story beyond the frame, inviting the viewer into a space where mood, memory, and imagination combine.

Rather than depicting the external world so much, Kieran’s illustrations seek to explore emotional, psychological and transcendent realms. His images have their origins as internal visions—seeds of compositions formed in the mind’s eye— that then emerge through a combination of traditional techniques (pencil, pen, ink, paint) and digital media. These scenes often feature atmospheric settings, symbolic characters, and narrative details that evoke a sense of wonder and introspection.

Kieran’s influences are wide-ranging, be they the animated films and pixel-based video games of the 1980’s and 1990’s, the genius of Jim Henson, the detailed illustrations of Alan Lee, Albrecht Dürer, and John Tenniel. The stylised, fascinating forms of Gustav Klimt and the playful, naive dreamlike landscapes of Henri Rousseau also echo through his work.

Kieran also has a deep love and passion for storytelling and loves to see the written word brought to life through the medium of illustration. He brings a love of mood, character and detail to his work. Ultimately, Kieran’s illustrations aim to linger in the mind of the viewer—rich with mood, imagination, and the emotional resonance of a world just beyond reach.