Artists

Karley Feaver transforms her work into evocative sculptures that blur the lines between traditional taxidermy and modern sculpture. Her works are simultaneously poetic and vexing, and explores the profound connection between humans and nature, life and death, past and present. “I’ve fallen in a kind of obsessive, curious love with this art form and this is my attempt to understand animals and our obsessions with nature, beauty and death”. Drawing on a lifelong inspiration from nature, Karley’s surreal creations invite viewers to connect with its intricate beauty and contemplate the power of objects to hold personal meaning.

Wellington, New Zealand Artist and ceramicist Katie Stewart is known for her bright, mixed media and textural pieces. Her work features acrylic washes, paint, texture paste and pens, pastel and oil paint. Details include gold, effervescence effects and pastel. Inspired by the natural world, botany and child- like wonder. Her unapologetic bold and illustrative signature style prompts us to pause, engage and find joy in amongst the everyday.

Inspired by Maori whakairo, Fijian masi cloth and Samoan tapa, Kirsty's landscapes are merged with patterning to reflect the history of a site. Mixed with the traditional etching style, she uses for these landscapes, her artwork often sparks a nostalgic reaction to a favourate view. Kirsty artfully weaves Aotearoa's historic narrative within a modern artwork and this original take on our beloved landscape gives us more than hills and water. It's also a chance for me Kirsty to portray New Zealand's rich cultural mix, our history and our passion for our land.

"Kia Ora e te Iwi, I am Kyle Ratana a Māori artist putting my essence into the taonga (treasure) that is Toi Māori. It is truly an honour to showcase my mahi amongst some of Aotearoa’s greatest creatives and bring Māori culture and knowledge to this space through my mahi. I fell in love with creativity and art through my love of graffiti and I am so blessed that my love for art has gotten me to the point of drawing the ancient markings of my ancestors. I create a range of Toi Māori taonga from hand drawn all the way to digital and I look forward to showing you all my mahi."

Born and raised in Auckland, Larisa developed a passion for art from a young age with portraiture being her main interest. Supported by her friends and family, she spent the majority of her time developing her pieces and started becoming recognised for her talent born out of this love for creativity. Introverted by nature, Larisa finds inspiration and captures the often-overlooked beauty of empaths who are grounded in who they are and how they express this quiet confidence in the world. Her pieces serve as a daily reminder and inspiration that you are magnificent just the way you are.

I am a photographer and I grow flowers to photograph. From seed to bloom, I am involved in the entire process, arranging the flowers and also photographing them. Each image is a love letter to my garden and a way to celebrate and document these beautiful flowers. A background in fashion, photographing flowers is an extension of that world, both celebrate fleeting beauty. With a macro lens, I uncover the intricate details of each bloom, from the velvety texture of a petal to the soft gradients of color, evoking the opulence of Dutch still life paintings. My imagery layers texture, light, and emotion to create intimate, painterly portraits of nature. Each photograph invites the viewer to linger, capturing the quiet drama of life’s most delicate moments.

Born in New Zealand Lee-Ann Toyokawa is a Nelson based artist. She graduated from Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of visual arts in 2005. Lee-Ann's art is a poignant reflection of her past, immersing in childhood nostalgia and wrestling with personal vulnerabilities. Drawing inspiration from 17th century Dutch Vanitas paintings and Caravaggio she incorporates symbolic objects, flora, and fauna in muted oil colors, portraying unattainable expectations with a vintage aesthetic. Her art captures the profound beauty found within darkness.

Levi Hawken is a modern painter/sculptor whose work is inextricably tied to the myriad influences that have shaped his life. From the urban subcultural worlds of skateboarding and graffiti, to architecture, landscaping which led to working with concrete. His recent sculptural works revel in their three-dimensional form, exploring scale and the interplay of shadow and light created by their stratified construction. Importantly, these objects are adaptable, their physical realities allowing them to comfortably exist in disparate settings, from galleries to gardens, skate parks to shopping malls, and most recently, returning to the urban environment that ultimately fostered their creation.

Linda McFetridge is a New Zealand-based artist whose work explores the interplay of nature, identity, and personal reflection. With a focus on abstract landscapes, Linda’s paintings use vibrant colour, organic forms, and subtle symbolism to evoke emotion and invite introspection. Her work is deeply influenced by the natural world, capturing both its fleeting moments and enduring beauty. Linda’s practice is rooted in intuition and exploration, with each piece reflecting her personal journey and connection to time, place, and self. Her work encourages quiet acceptance and celebrates the evolving, imperfect nature of the human experience.

Liz Sofield works mainly with paper and thread. By her use of geometric patterning and delicate stitching, evoking a sense of calmness. Born in Auckland, Liz has recently returned to New Zealand after living in Brisbane for twenty years. Trained in interior and textile design, Liz established her artistic practice whilst living in a remote, mining town in Western Australia, for a short period in 2014 and started using paper and thread as art materials were not readily available. Over the last few years Liz has been creating earth pigments from Brisbane and Whangarei coastal rocks, also natural dyed cotton thread, which she incorporates into her textile paper art. Liz’s most recent commission is now hanging in the refurbished Waldorf Astoria in New York. She runs online workshops through Artisan Queensland and is a member of the international Paper Artist Collective and IAPMA.

Liz is fascinated with light, water and how our landscape’s mood can be changed by light alone. She creates evocative and contemporary paintings venturing into the natural world. Liz remains passionate about rediscovering and depicting our natural landscape but with a nod to those places we see only in our minds. They carry the memories and emotions held close to the heart. “I paint to bring joy and beauty into lives and homes. To create an emotional connection to my artwork by capturing mood and feeling, and evoking memories held close to the heart. My paintings are atmospheric and moody yet calming and harmonious.”

Logan Bow is a multidisciplinary artist and emerging architect whose practice merges visual art, design, and spatial exploration. Pursuing a Master of Architecture (Professional) and Urban Design at the University of Auckland, he draws from academic research and global perspectives. His work delves into the figuration of material thresholds and parameters, particularly in New Zealand shells and polymethyl methacrylate. Influenced by his background in artistic gymnastics, Logan’s practice embraces discipline and experimentation, fostering connections between artist and audience through a medium of materiality that embodies spatial manipulation, figural form, and balanced symmetry.

Lynn is a sculptor exploring the human condition and its deep connections with individuals, communities, and the environment. Inspired by her life experiences, she fosters understanding through her art. Mentored by Betsy Kremer, she later studied Fine Art in London, where exposure to the Young British Artist movement reshaped her approach. While embracing contemporary materials, she remains grounded in classical techniques. In 2011, she returned to New Zealand, establishing a Masterton workshop. Her work, exhibited globally, reflects her passion for hands-on creation and the evolving relationship between tradition and modern expression.

Marc McKinlay is Scottish Artist Based in New Zealand Originally from Scotland and now in New Zealand, Art Aberrant is a contemporary artist exploring light, colour, and human experience. Their bold, abstract style captures fleeting moments through fragmented yet harmonious compositions. From expressive faces to dynamic street scenes, each piece is a vivid exploration of movement, emotion, and memory. Infused with a kaleidoscope of colours, their work transforms the everyday into extraordinary visual narratives. Embracing procrastination as a creative reset, Marc continuously brings fresh perspectives to their art, challenging perceptions and inviting viewers into a vibrant, immersive world.

Mark Cowden is a Dunedin based artist known for his kinetic and optical art. His works, which are generally abstract, are recognised by the way they change as you walk past them. Mark’s intention is to encourage the viewer to actually by SEE the art by being more active, by having an interactive relationship with it.

Marti Wong has been a metal sculptor creating fantastic sculptures for 25 years. He works in recycled steel, old tools and interesting car parts, corten steel and plate steel, stainless and chrome, copper and brass.

Auckland based artist Matt Griffin balances his evolving abilities in multiple fields of what can be called Hyperrealism. Doused in creative motivation as a child, to now pursuing a career inside the dynamic systems of the art world. Specialising in realism, Matt works in oils, charcoal, and aerosol.

Born in Sao Paulo (Brazil), Mauricio Benega moved to New Zealand in 2004 and now lives and works as a full time artist in Te Awanga Mauricio graduated with a Bachelor Degree of Visual Arts & Computer Graphics in 2001 at University of Tuiuti Parana, Brazil. He has also completed a Post-Graduation in School Administration & Visual Arts in 2004 at FAE Business School in Curitiba, Brazil and a Diploma of Visual effects & Motion Graphics in 2009 at Media Design School in Auckland, New Zealand. Working from his studio based in Te Awanga, Hawke's Bay, he opened a business called Studio Benega Ltd, a creative company dealing with creative art projects. Such as, exhibitions, murals, workshops, illustrations, design, signage, project management, commissions and of course paintings. He believes knowing more techniques and tools helps with the creative process. Working on different projects and experimenting, is a good way to keep yourself fresh and inspired. Mauricio's work can be found in collections in NZ, Brazil, Australia, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, USA, Bali and Singapore.

Merle is constantly re-inspired by the humour and happy exuberance of canine friends she meets on the beach. Her Mini-Foxie, recently passed, brought 14 years of inspiration, and the fun and memories from Ruby continue to inspire. Her new Papillon friend Ted brings a completely different set of canine concepts to be considered! Merle aims to capture some of her observations in her work, so that these ‘moments’ may be shared. The good times themselves don’t last, but ‘moments’ to be treasured can be captured with Art. Pastel, Etching, Mezzotint, Mixed Media, Painting, Jewellery and Bronze Sculpture are all media Merle uses to achieve this. Graduate Wellington Design School Graphic Design/Visual Communication Peter Minturn Goldsmith School Casual study 12 National awards for Pastel Artist member PANZ Pastel Artists of NZ Exhibitions and Collections NZ and abroad Printmaker for David Barker “Ten Plates” Portfolios New Zealand Sculpture on Shore indoor and outdoor Art by the Sea Takapuna Auckland Zea You Gallery Taupo Printmaking and exhibiting with NZ Print Council 40yrs “Various traditional and experimental media have allowed me to express my close observation of the Human condition and Canine behaviours. I find it fascinating and can’t help comparing - human with dog. Dogs have a deep empathetic knowledge and understanding of all facets of their human companions. I also love the way dogs bound along with others with not a care in the world. They are totally accepting, love unconditionally, have short memories where necessary and are determined to have a good time!”

Two curly and creative sisters making artworks from repurposed food grade 44-gallon drums. Playing with colour, scale and humour to create meaningful sculptures and installations.

"My painting process is an investigation into how the action of painting can be distorted, hidden, exaggerated, negated or otherwise modified by the paint or surface it interacts with, how gestural traces may move after their application, and how this alters my intent and the way I navigate the formal elements of painting. I use many different oil and water based paints in addition to polyurethanes to make mixtures of varying reactivity, thicknesses, opacity and viscosity. I’m interested in how these mixtures readily interact and self-level when wet and how they lose these qualities as they begin to dry."

Michele Theobald is a figurative abstract artist based in Palmerston North, known for her striking explorations of human connection and family bonds. Drawing inspiration from everyday interactions, she combines acrylics and mixed media to create dynamic works rich with texture, colour, and emotion. Michele’s art invites viewers to discover their own stories within her open-ended compositions. Her work serves as a reminder to pause and appreciate life’s fleeting moments, offering a sense of familiarity and connection. Michele’s creative process reflects her belief in the power of art to inspire and connect.

Michelle Retimana is largely self-taught Bronze and Clay Sculptress, living on the beautiful Kapiti Coast. She attended pottery classes in the 70’s and began exhibiting in 2000. Michelle’s work is regularly selected for National, Regional, Private and Charity Exhibitions and has exhibited through galleries in NZ and UK. Michelle is an Elected artist with the NZ Academy of Fine Arts. Interested in casting bronze since her teenage years, Michelle uses the lost wax process to create bronze sculptures; “while grinding, patina and mounting are tedious, the excitement of sculpting wax, pouring molten bronze and smashing ceramic shell reward me with individually unique hand formed sculptures”.

Passionate about upcycling and sustainability, Mike Paora dedicates his craft to breathing new life into donated and salvaged timbers, with a special focus on our native timbers that would otherwise end up in the landfills. As a seasoned carpenter, Mike embraces the challenge of working with these unique timbers, many of which are no longer readily available. Even offcuts from previous projects find purpose in new designs, embodying his unwavering commitment to sustainability throughout his artistic journey. Mike Paora is of Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Tūwharetoa descent and resides in Whangārei.

..Milarky focuses within the realm of Nomadism and what can be aligned as ’the Return to Nomadity’ of our species due to the misled ability to care for the Earth. Nomadism being a response to the environment, an adaption through a generationally founded ability to attune to nature, as opposed to our societies current mind set to tune the land to our desired ways. Finishing a Masters based on the field between Nomadism and Sedentarization, to decipher the position of contemporary Nomad, and investigate borders and ‘mobility limitations’ on our species Nomadistic tendencies, along with the cause/resistance this has on environmental issues.

Natalie is intensely interested in being gifted a structured fleshy casing, in which we house all the things we need to live and breathe and observe our existence in what feels like a magic realm. And how everyone's vessel differently interprets and formats information to give this perception of what's of value and what we should be doing while we're here. Her current series of work has a theme of curiosity and grafting towards translating her experience and how she sees and feels about where we stand in existence in this moment. Natalie’s rendering is somewhere between recording and expression. 

Born and bred in Turangi, all Natanahira wanted to do when he was young was join the armoured division in Waiouru. The idea of being a tank driver was a passion for him, but instead took up the second, safer option of art. Natanahira attended the New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute in Rotorua where his career as an artist blossomed and he has now been sculpting for over thirty years. He has taken part in numerous sculpture symposia in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato, including the 2014 Rotorua Sculpture Symposium, and also travelled to Nepal in 2016 to represent Aotearoa.

Vjekoslav Nemesh is an internationally acclaimed artist whose remarkable journey embodies passion, resilience, and creative brilliance. From his early mastery of intricate drawings to his discovery of oil painting in his twenties, Nemesh’s artistic evolution has been extraordinary. After achieving recognition in his homeland, the upheaval of civil war in the 1990s led him to rebuild his life and career in New Zealand. Over four decades, he has showcased his visionary work in more than 50 solo exhibitions and 300 group shows worldwide. His unique, authentic style has earned global acclaim, captivating collectors and inspiring audiences across continents.

We are thrilled to be welcoming Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei as a partner of the show this year, welcoming an array of talented artists and their mahi. Expect to see weaving in action, stunning sculptures and kapa haka, elevating Art in the Park’s celebration of New Zealand culture to the next level. Artists exhibiting include: Beronia Scott (Te Puāwai) and Nathan Hull.

Nick Marshall's works are a series of traditional and modern wooden and pounamu sculptured ocean craft. Each work is inspired by the origin and art of surfboard making pre 1900th century in Polynesia. Surfboard making and artistic designs were once a central part of society. His works explore the ties the Pacific Ocean "The Great Connector" has with our people, coastlines and Islands.

Colour is one of Nicola’s passions. It’s how she fell in love with pastels and the reason she accidentally became an interior designer. She is also inspired by the feeling of being in beautiful places, so it’s no surprise that she paints vibrant colourful landscapes. Nicola works in soft pastel and oil pastel. Nicola’s soft pastel paintings are full of exuberant pastel marks and splashes of colour. Her oil pastel paintings are more stylised, with simplified shapes and print-like black edges. They are bright, saturated and jewel-like, often with big skies and a bit of a breeze.

Nigel has always been interested in art but only started to get involved in recent years as a way to use up and recycle left over steel and materials generated from his engineering business. He loves going outdoors hunting and fishing and especially enjoys the coast line collecting drift wood for art work. Nigel is very interested in creating Sculpture combinations with drift wood and steel and hopes to incorporate elements of Whakairo in future projects.

Pennington’s work interrogates the interplay between memory and perception through the synthesis of paint, color, and layered graphic structures. Her practice distills visual narratives into forms that evoke the universal and personal nature of recollection, layered with gestural mark-making. She navigates the emotional, physical, and sensory dimensions of memory, portraying its metamorphosis from fleeting moments to lasting impressions. Through a dance of abstraction and representation, Pennington’s pieces challenge the viewer to engage with the fluid, evolving essence of remembered experiences.

Oriah Rapley is a full time practising artist currently working in wood, Hard stone, Bronze and Steel. Rapley exhibits nationally and has pieces in private collections in Nationally and Internationally. Her work has been selected for Brick bay sculpture trail, the Homework exhibitions at Puke Ariki, New Zealand sculpture onshore, Devonport, Auckland, the Richard T Nelson Art Awards, Wellington, and, Sculpture on the Peninsula, Canterbury. She has attended many symposiums around New Zealand including Te Kupenga international stone sculpture symposium. Her work is in constant refinement towards the purity of form. Using symbols such as the bird, waka and feather to provide subtle layers interwoven around transformation and empowerment.

Pam loves colour, music and a bit of mystery. Bold, vibrant and joyful colour meet musical inspiration. Mysterious Morse code pieces layered in colour. Pam uses tinted resin to paint shapes and layers colour and shapes. The result is colour! Glorious luscious colour!

Working in many media, but primarily in Wood, Bronze and Steel, Paul’s pieces often involve movement, which continually provides new perspectives that can reveal the hidden aspects or concepts of his work, which draw the astute viewer into deeper contemplation. A sensitivity to the flow of the water and weather developed in yacht racing, surfing, diving, windsurfing and kitesurfing has been refined by playing Tai Chi and Ba Gua which emphasise fluid movements, flowing technique and skill rather than brute strength giving a foundation that is reflected in a range of works with a strong connection to nature and the fluidity and duality of life. Having trained in Bronze Sculpture under Lyndon Smith and selling pieces to prominent New Zealand collectors, while participating in many premier Sculpture Events where his range of styles, subjects and techniques become apparent.

Rebecca's vision is to create a collection of sensitive silent moments, inspired by symbolism and folklore, capturing stories of nature, some full of whimsical intrigue, others more painterly botanical, always attempting to make something beautiful. Rebecca believes as artists we can turn our dreams into reality. She feels her recent works come from a place of layering, intuition, and experimentation and exist somewhere in between painting and photography.

I am a generative artist living in Auckland, New Zealand. I use drawing robots to produce highly technical and dynamic pen and ink artworks. My passion for my art practice stems from my background in Architecture and drafting, as well as from a unique approach utilising maths, algorithms and 3D modelling to achieve highly iterative results. I am inspired by lines in their simplicity, and how proximity, density, repetition and orientation allows the emergence of complex, organic and rhythmic patterns. I attempt to incorporate the patterns I see in the world around me into my work.

Originally from Central Otago, award winning bronze sculptor Richard Wells now lives between Tindalls Beach and Queenstown, working out of his studio and casting his all work himself. Using traditional techniques and the ancient medium of bronze Richard’s beautiful sculptures tell human stories in a contemporary context. He is especially known for his beautiful bronze dogs of all sizes, which Richard says are “a reflection of ourselves”. Represented by galleries throughout the country, including Parnell Gallery in Auckland and Giraffe in Arrowtown, Richard’s sought after, collectable works are held in collections both here and overseas including in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa’s permanent collection. Public sculptures include Kuri, a 3.6 metre bronze dog diving into the pond in Queenstown Gardens, Queenstown, The Dio Girl, Diocesan school for Girls and Soldier at Rest in the SAS Memorial Garden, Papakura.

Roberta Queiroga is a Brazilian-born, New Zealand-based artist whose work bridges cultures, emotions, and movement. With a background in architecture, she embraces a bold, gestural approach, blending acrylics, sumi ink and charcoal into striking and minimalist compositions. Her art is a dialogue between spontaneity and control, influenced by Japanese calligraphy and the raw expressiveness of her multicultural journey. A fearless cretaive, she returned to art after an 18-year hiatus, redefining her path with conviction. Recently, she has been immersed in an artistic residency in Japan, collaborating with a renowned calligrapher to further refine her visual language.

SWEATS is the studio and art pseudonym of multidisciplinary artist Pierre Hadlow. Bold and primal, SWEATS art consists principally of expressionistic figures and objects. Beginning as abstraction, his portraits are brought to life through the eyes, lips and teeth, which emerge from vibrant colours so as to explode the senses. The effect taps into a feeling of synaesthesia that opens up the viewer to explore the human experience – an experience that is not only multifaceted but unique to the individual. Shifting between studio, street and screen, SWEATS employs strong contrasts through popping palettes, striking stencil features, and deconstructed typography to explore colour and form. He works under the influence of music, using its physicality to generate spontaneous dynamic movement and gestural mark making to build textural layers into artworks that contain echos of distressed faxes and photocopies. This process remains grounded in undercurrents of pop culture that allow him to hold on to a playful naivety. SWEATS applies a strong art sensibility and practice of painting, illustration, and lettering to artworks, print, graphic design, and merchandise. In addition to developing private art pieces, commercial design and branding, SWEATS is increasingly exploring scale, particularly through large public murals and installations. Constantly evolving over 20 years of experience in the creative arts across Aotearoa, Australia, UK and Asia, SWEATS works from a shared studio in Grey Lynn, Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa.

Sam is a lifelong art lover and practitioner, focusing on oil painting. Growing up in coastal Tamaki Makaurau, the beach was Sam's favourite place to be and inspires many themes within her paintings. The way water moves, nature, home and place are influences on her work. Last year Sam’s focus was on improving her technique, and learning about different oil painting processes. This year, Sam is focused on nurturing the creative process and creating, to form her first large body of work. As well as painting, Sam is a high school art teacher in Papatoetoe and is exploring printmaking.

I have always been fascinated with what makes a piece of art. The connection between the viewer, the artist and the piece is a relationship which dominates my ever evolving art practice. I use colour and scale to illustrate what is topical in my own world. I am interested in taking the viewer on a trip within the art. Bringing icons, ideas brought from everyday life onto the canvas then placing them within a surreal location underlies my work. From bottles of wine to bulldogs, birds and people, I explore the world with optimism raising unanswerable questions that keep the viewer both satisfied and interested.

Sarah Albisser’s background as a contemporary dancer and choreographer profoundly shapes her art, blending movement and self-expression. Over a decade, she created striking black-and-white portraits of female characters but now integrates metallic tones. Her works capture fleeting emotions and leave parts unfinished, inviting viewers to interpret and complete the story. In recent years, she’s embraced a minimal, surreal style, balancing space and simplicity to evoke powerful narratives. Exhibited internationally in Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, and Los Angeles, her art is part of private collections worldwide, reflecting her evolution as an artist and storyteller.

Sarah is a fine arts artist, painting stunning scenes of New Zealand landscapes and cities. She works primarily in oil paint, capturing colour and light with exceptional attention to detail. She is a well loved artist, with work hanging on Kiwis walls her in New Zealand and all around the world. Her painting career stretches over 20 years.

Shannon Turuwhenua (Tuhoe) Is a North Waikato based artist. Shannon’s sculptures are crafted from native and exotic timbers reflect his deep connection to the land. As part of the Whanau-based Collective “Past Present Future,” Shannon’s work explores themes of heritage, identity, and sustainability.

Shawnee Tekii is an urban artist from West Auckland, known for reimagining overlooked and underappreciated landscapes into vibrant, energetic compositions. Her work breathes new life into familiar places, creating a sense of wonder and nostalgia that invites viewers to form personal connections. Blending innovative techniques with traditional painting methods, she works with acrylic and aerosol paints, incorporating custom-made stencils. Shawnee’s stencils are designed for single use, ensuring each piece remains entirely unique. Her work serves as a catalyst, transforming everyday surroundings into conversation pieces that bridge personal experiences and collective nostalgia.

Shelly Gray is a multidisciplinary artist known for transforming discarded materials into vibrant, meaningful works of art. Rooted in environmental consciousness, her style blends whimsy with purpose, often using upcycled objects to tell community-driven stories. Inspired by nature and human connection, Shelly’s work invites viewers to see beauty in the overlooked. She facilitates inclusive workshops that empower others to express themselves creatively and sustainably.

Sherie Kemp has been sculpting for the past 7 years learning under the guidance from her husband Joe Kemp , she enjoys creating offering bowls carved out of hard stone as offerings of appreciation and blessings . She also enjoys carving wood , Pounamu , Obsidian stone, Basalt.

Shortydubs is a contemporary artist from Raglan, New Zealand, whose distinctive style combines complex stencils with street and pop art. Inspired by his coastal upbringing and urban experiences, his work reflects weathered city walls layered with posters and graffiti, exploring the stories they tell over time. Blending digital tools with traditional techniques, he creates bold, textured pieces rich in narrative. Influenced by the sampling and storytelling of hip-hop, Shortydubs’ art invites viewers to look deeper and uncover their own connections within the chaos.

Welcome to the world of flamboyant, colourful, abstract art, of visual storytelling, welcome to the world of Sof Gill. Inspired by music and the people and places of her past, Sophie makes art that sings: bright, confident, energetic pieces, most often in acrylic and chalk pastel. Her influences are strongly musical, including jazz, rhythm and blues, as well as disco. These musical genres meld and fuse into a spontaneous outpouring of shapes and motifs that explode on the canvas. Sophie’s dance background in jazz, ballet and hip hop disciplines informs her work and she brings this absolute joy in movement to the canvas. In 2018 Sophie graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Auckland University of Technology and she continues to pursue her passion for making art and spreading joy from her home in Auckland.

Stacey Fraser-Allen, is the artist behind Brick and Water Creative, crafting vibrant, playful, and nostalgic artwork inspired by New Zealand’s rich culture and unique architecture. Originally from Wales, Stacey’s journey to New Zealand ignited her passion for celebrating the stories behind homes and communities. Specializing in bespoke personal and corporate commissions she creates authentic, high-quality pieces that honor both the past and present. Stacey’s work aims to capture the importance of ‘place’ in our communities and our lives. Her work reflects the essence of home, family, and connection, helping to immortalize cherished memories and celebrate lives with meaningful, lasting art.

Stuart Robertson is a distinguished contemporary fine artist, adventurer, and humanitarian. He has dedicated over three decades to capturing the essence of the human condition and the sublime beauty of the natural world. His journey through the visual arts is marked by a reverence for life’s ordinary moments, aiming to illuminate the shared experiences that unite us all. Robertson’s portfolio, including his ‘Peace in 10,000 Hands’, ‘Place’, ‘Colours of Antarctica’ and ‘Loft’ collections, read like a chronicle of human triumph and tribulation. His photographs grace the walls of galleries and cultural institutions globally. Each exhibition a testament to the enduring power of art to provoke introspection and inspire social change. His photographic portraits for Peace in 10,000 Hands has gained significant momentum internationally photographing the likes of The Dalia Lama, Dame Patsy Reddy, Demi Moore, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Willie Apiata VC, Sir Jerry Mateparae, Dame Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, Danny DeVito, Whero O Te Rangi Bailey, Daryl Hannah, Ringo Starr, Emily Blunt… to name a few.

Kim Kobialko (Studio Reset)'s artwork is a result of combining 3 passions/professions together to create a full circle in her creative processes: beekeeping, photography, and encaustic painting. She starts with a found substrate, usually an old tray or wooden platter to create nature inspired compositions with depth, translucency and environmental meaning. She assembles her imagery by layering portions of transferred photographs with ink, pigment, and building up the layers between many fine sheets of beeswax. The process is very much an organic one; supporting sustainability in her art practice by the material she uses. Working with heat guns, blow torches and molten wax is not for the faint hearted. She is attracted to this medium for its dimensional quality and luminous colour. It also keeps her close to nature.This ancient technique from Egypt dates back to 100-300AD, used to make Fayum mummy portraits. The Encaustic medium encourages experimentation and playfulness, for its capacity to be layered and scraped back.

Sue Skellern is a New Zealand artist with a diverse skill set in visual art, design, and photography. She is best known for her whimsical collages, which combine reality with digital surrealism, offering a unique and fresh perspective on modern spaces. Sue’s work is deeply emotional and spontaneous, often incorporating personal objects that hold significant meaning to evoke mood and insight. Her art encourages engagement and reflection, sparking conversation while bringing joy. Exhibited both nationally and internationally, Sue's work has found homes worldwide, captivating audiences with its playful yet thought-provoking qualities.

Susan works from her studio in Waipu , Northland. Her recent works celebrate a fluid landscape occupied by a small but significant life force. Susan works with mixed media to bring shimmer, light and changing perspective to the scene . She enjoys collage. Susan has had several solo exhibitions ,displayed work in group shows , and enjoys commissions.

Susan’s artistic approach is a vibrant and dynamic one, where colour and texture serve as essential elements in expressing the energy within her artworks. When working on paper, Susan harnesses the medium to push the boundaries of fluid paint tolerance, resulting in an explosion of colours, intricate patterns, and captivating shapes.⁠ ⁠ Susan’s artistic style has evolved to encompass various mediums and genres. Drawing inspiration from a stormy sky, fashion, and the beauty of autumn landscapes, Susan’s creations reflect a diverse range of influences. Based in vibrant Wellington, Susan is represented in galleries and events across New Zealand, Australia and Singapore.

Teimah has been carving for the last 7 years learing under his father Joe Kemp. He has work in Kura Gallery (Wellington, Auckland, Taupo) and the 4Artsake gallery in Ohope, as well as the Kemp home gallery in Lake Rotoma.

With over 15 years of experience in interior design, Tori draws from her passion for beautifully curated spaces and the natural beauty of rural Mangawhai. Her belief in the power of art within a space is at the heart of her work: “Art is an integral part of a space and the people that inhabit it. It can be a conversation starter, evoke emotion, and act as the finishing touch that brings a space together.”Her pieces are created through gestural expression, an exploration of color and texture, and a careful refinement of form. Her process moves fluidly from loose, expressive strokes to intentional layers, using not only brushes but also any tool within reach that helps to bring her vision to life. Her color palettes are often inspired by specific interior styles, blending her expertise in design with her artistic exploration. Tori works primarily in oil paints but also incorporates pastels, acrylics, spray paint, and oil sticks.

Trish Clarke is an artist, sculptor, and designer based in Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand. Trish is established as an artist for contemporary outdoor metal sculpture and has been consistently exhibiting sculpture in indoor and outdoor exhibitions throughout NZ. Her current passion is working in copper and also enamels for jewellery. Trish has works in public and private collections including Whangarei District Council, The Whangarei Outdoor Sculpture Trail, Camera Obscura Whangarei, The Arts Trust and The Kings College Collection.