OHU by DEAN BALLINGER and AARON CHRISTIANSEN

The surrealist adventures of Illford, Mani and Olo as they journey across the Waikato of another world.  Dean Ballinger’s amazing graphic novel, written and pencilled by Dean and inked and coloured to completion by Aaron Christiansen.  New mythology for kids of all ages!

A fun tale that blends Dean’s love for nature, history, and deep cultural connections into a unique, surreal and captivating story. A 116-page fully colour illustrated book.

Dean Ballinger 1973-2022
Dean Ballinger was a person of vast creativity and intellectual curiosity, whose life was interwoven with the artistic and academic communities of Kirikiriroa, Hamilton.

Born in Te Awamutu on 5 November 1973, he died in Hamilton on 30 August 2022, aged 48, after courageously enduring Motor Neuron Disease in his last years.

Dean shared his life with his wife, Kelly, and their three sons, Perry, Oisin, and Felix, in a home filled with love and creative energy.

Dean Ballinger’s legacy is one of imagination, intellect, and an enduring passion for the arts, the place where he stood, and the strange corners of the world.

He left an indelible mark on the lives of those who knew him, and on the many communities he touched through his creativity and inquiry. He is deeply missed, but his spirit lives on in the art, music and words he left behind.