Henrietta Catherine Angus: A Pioneer of New Zealand Art Rita Angus, as she became known, was born on March 12, 1908, in Hastings, a small coastal town in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand. Her early life was marked by constant movement – her father, William McKenzie Angus, was a carpenter and construction worker, leading his family across the country to meet various building contracts. This nomadic upbringing instilled within her a keen observational eye and an independent spirit, shaping her artistic perspective in profound ways. From a young age, Rita demonstrated a remarkable talent f…