Right from the outset we were keen to use illustrations rather than photographs. We wanted the original pioneers to look as good as the modern players. We were also keen to use a female illustrator for this project and one who would understand the feelings we were trying to evoke with them. Hannah Wilkinson felt like the perfect fit! Not only is she a talented artist, but Hannah is also a world class athlete in her own right - having been a professional footballer for the past 12 years, playing as a striker for the NZ Football Ferns and even scoring the opening (and match winning) goal in the Fifa World Cup 2023.

We first met Hannah when we documented the mural she created for the side of the stadium at Eden Park. Hannah started creating drawings and then final illustrations for us in November 2022 and completed all 30 of them by March 2023.

Her dynamic style and portrayals of strong women which also capture a little of their story and personality were just what we were after.

Hannah Wilkinson portfolio

@wilkscraft