Wender·Vista
Rarotonga
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileCook Islands
the main island of the Cook Islands, in the South Pacific

Rarotonga

— — a green peak ringed by a quiet lagoon.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“A volcanic island about the size of a small county, circled by a coral reef close enough to swim to. The interior climbs fast to Te Manga at 652 metres, draped in tree fern and Polynesian pine. The lagoon on the southern side reads the kind of pale jade that only sits over white sand. Avarua, on the north shore, is the only town that feels like a town. from the studio

from the studio
Rarotonga
— bring it home

Rarotonga, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Rarotonga

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the fifteen Cook Islands, sitting about 3,000 kilometres north-east of New Zealand in the South Pacific. The island is the eroded remnant of an extinct volcano, roughly 67 square kilometres in area, with Te Manga rising to 652 metres at the centre. A nearly continuous fringing reef encloses a shallow lagoon on the south and west shores. Avarua, on the north coast, serves as the capital of the self-governing nation and home to roughly 13,000 residents across the island.

— the water

The lagoon along the south coast at Muri sits behind a barrier reef that breaks the open ocean swell, leaving a sheltered band of water rarely more than two metres deep. Sunlight reaches the white coral sand and bounces back as the pale jade that the island is known for. Four small motu — Taakoka, Koromiri, Oneroa, and Motutapu — punctuate the lagoon east of Muri Beach. Snorkellers find parrotfish and the occasional reef shark inside the reef.

— the visit

Rarotonga International Airport (RAR) receives direct flights from Auckland, Sydney, and Los Angeles. A single sealed road, Ara Tapu, runs 32 kilometres around the coast; an older inland road, Ara Metua, dates back roughly a thousand years. The Cross-Island Track climbs past Te Rua Manga, the distinctive basalt needle visible from much of the island, and takes three to four hours one way. The dry season runs May through October.

— where
Cook Islands · Avarua, Rarotonga
— elevation
652 m · 2,139 ft
— position
-21.2367° S · 159.7777° W
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
260 km N
Aitutaki
lagoon atoll
7 km E
Muri Beach
lagoon shore
4 km S
Te Rua Manga
basalt needle
N
Rarotonga
Aitutaki
Muri Beach
Te Rua Manga
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Rarotonga — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

Rarotonga is the main island of the Cook Islands, in the South Pacific roughly 3,000 kilometres north-east of New Zealand and a similar distance south of Hawaii.

About 67 square kilometres, with a coastal road running 32 kilometres around the perimeter. The interior climbs to 652 metres at Te Manga.

Cook Islands Māori and English are both official. Most signage and daily business use English; Māori is heard at home and in church services on Sunday.

May through October is cooler and drier, with daytime temperatures around 25 °C. November through April is warmer, wetter, and the South Pacific cyclone season.

Te Rua Manga, often called The Needle, is a sharp basalt spire reaching about 413 metres. It marks the midpoint of the Cross-Island Track that traverses the interior.

No. The Cook Islands are a self-governing nation in free association with New Zealand. Cook Islanders hold New Zealand citizenship, but the country runs its own affairs.

— about the piece in your home

Many of our customers have given this piece to family who grew up on Rarotonga or now live in Auckland. A Small or Medium with a handwritten note from the studio travels well.

The jade and reef tones sit naturally in coastal-modern, soft tropical, and Pacific-island palettes. It also works against unfinished oak and warm whites in a beach-house setting.

Yes. The lagoon greens and quiet composition fit the coastal-modern direction that has stayed strong through recent seasons, without the cliché of seashells or starfish motifs.

A single Large is the right scale above most sofas. For a wider wall, a 4-tile Mural reads as one continuous lagoon; a 9-tile Mural anchors a large room.

Yes. Order the Dura Satin or Matte finish for vertical installations in humid rooms. The colour lives in the ceramic surface and is unaffected by steam.

A soft microfibre cloth and water. No solvents, no abrasive pads. The thin glossy finish wipes clean and does not need polish or sealant.

Yes. Every WenderVista piece is original to the studio, curated by Reid Wender, and not licensed from any third party. Each tile is hand-finished in Knoxville, Tennessee.

— if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.