In Whangamoa, Harkness explores the intersections of the natural world and human industry within the Nelson region. The composition focuses on a forestry block—a site where the land is both a living ecosystem and a resource—rendered through the rich, tactile medium of oil. The artist uses the landscape orientation to emphasize the breadth of the hills, allowing the viewer to trace the textured cloudscapes as they shift over the ridges of the South Island.

The work highlights the distinguishing features of the rural New Zealand terrain, from the dense clusters of planted timber to the man-made structures that mark the presence of human labor. There is a grounded honesty in how the light interacts with the mountain slopes, avoiding sentimentality in favor of a clear-eyed look at how the environment is shaped. The classic frame anchors the piece, inviting a slow study of the dynamic nature interactions inherent in this working landscape.