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Deborah Taylor

Never having had any formal art training, Deborah Taylor attempted an online course a few years ago but found the deadlines and stress of it all too much as well as working full time. Other financial constraints had left her feeling inadequate and floundering and after being diagnosed with bipolar, she found art to be cathartic and a means with which to express herself. With a level 5 in Academic Writing, she also likes to write and compose poetry.

“I have always been interested in art since high school especially, my art teacher Mr Hebley was a great teacher. I did unfortunately muck around a lot and never passed art as a subject but I always kept on painting and creating art whenever I could. When my children were little I would always have art stuff set up for them to express themselves through drawing and painting or making salt dough craft. I started painting again when my children were older, as a hobby.”

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Andrea Robinson 2022

Drawn to painting native birds and flowers from a young age, Andrea Robinson’s first sale was as a teenager when a friend bought one of her drawings for a few dollars. “I started to sell my drawings and designs on pillowcases, tablecloths, and tee-shirts. As an adult I continued to paint and draw around my office job and family. I started selling professionally in 2015 and I now sell my artwork through galleries and art shows.” Featured in The New Zealand Artist Magazine before, in 2017, Andrea has caught up with us and tells us where she is now.

Creating artwork is as important to me as the air that I breathe. It is the language I use to tell my story, to celebrate nature, and to raise awareness of environmental issues. This has always been my biggest motivating factor. Three exhibitions I am particularly proud of include exhibiting work in The Garzoni Challenge, curated by the Uffizi Gallery in Italy; receiving two excellence awards through Manhattan Arts International, New York, and receiving a Special Recognition Award in ‘All Women’ Art Exhibition 2022, in Santa Fe.

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Sue Laursen

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TURNING THE LIGHT ON

As the first thing Sue Laursen thinks about when she wakes up and the last thing she thinks about when she falls asleep, the urge to create has always been very strong for her. “I very quickly realised art was connected to my mental wellbeing and as I was brought up in a generation where I was not allowed to show my thoughts or emotions, by the age of 16, I was using my art to tell my story.” 

When she was 16 she was a member of and had her work accepted at the NZ Academy of Fine Arts. “This, I recall, some people seemed to be a little amazed about. At the time I didn’t really appreciate the significance of it, but I do now. As the years went on, my style of painting changed and I drifted away from the NZ Academy of Fine Arts, and did my own thing, as the academy no longer liked what I did. Such is life.” 

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Monique Tichborne

ARTISTIC ESCAPE

Diagnosed in 2018 with Fibromyalgia and FND (Functional neurological disorder) Monique Tichborne bravely started to use art as a means of therapy, a distraction from the pain. She explains further . . . 

My health and requiring home based work were the motivations for me to become an artist. I gain inspiration from all around me. I don’t think my creative head ever switches off. I’m always capturing photos to add to my ideas folder. At the end of 2019 I was struggling with my drawing so to test myself I turned my page around which oddly was easier. I have been drawing all my portrait work upside down since. I have only begun painting this year. My canvas doesn’t remain stationery here either and I don’t work on an easel. Art therapy has been one consistent ‘healer’ while I manage daily pain. This year I officially classify my occupation as an artist. 

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Livia Dias

Livia-Dias-aotearoa-artist

CLASSIC BEAUTY

Livia Dias is an artist who enjoys painting nature, gardens and people. Livia grew up in an environment surrounded by art. At the age of 13, she began learning drawing and painting from her uncle, Gilberto Dias, who is a professional artist and art tutor in her home country Brazil. Her passion for art has never stopped since then. She’s been working as a full-time artist and art tutor since 2000. 

She had a classical training based on the Old Masters teachings and glazing techniques which she is very grateful for, because she says that it taught her the importance of developing the skill set to create the illusion of form and depth on a flat surface that is crucial for her art. Her uncle was her first inspiration. She was amazed at what he could create with a brush! He introduced her to many other artists in a variety of styles which contributed to shaping her artistic journey. 

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Laura Buchanan

Laura-Buchanan-aotearoa-artistTHE POTTERY PLACE

Switching between studio pottery and ceramic sculptures Laura Buchanan, also known as Lulu, has moved around New Zealand quite extensively, but has now settled in a small seaside community, near Whanganui. She introduces herself to us and tells us her story.

I started making clay sculptures about 15 years ago, while living at Muriwai Beach. My husband was a paramedic, so worked nights regularly. I’d get our two young daughters, Maddie and Pippa off to bed, then spend my evening creating with clay. The femine figures which were formed, related to that maternal stage of my life. Without access to a kiln I’d make silicone and plaster molds of the clay forms, to later cast the sculptures using concrete. 

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Kim Mitchell

kim-mitchell-aotearoa-artistFREE SPIRIT

Rebelling about being told what and how to paint, and being a free spirit, travelling from place to place for extended periods of time, Kim Mitchell never really pursued her talent. “It wasn’t until around the first lockdown in 2020 that I admitted to myself I wasn’t happy with my current situation and wanted a change. In the last year I have found myself more driven and motivated to paint, committed to making a change for myself and wildlife, my enduring interest.” 

Kim’s biggest motivation is the plight of wildlife in the world today. “If I can use my skills to raise awareness about endangered animals then I feel like it would be a waste to not at least try. People talk about finding their purpose in life and up until now I’ve never really known what I want to do. I have studied geology, geography, cartography and journalism, with fleeting aspirations of using these to map wildlife habitats. One day I may combine all of this but for now I believe my biggest impact is creating realistic paintings. These can hopefully have a global reach and not only bring joy to people’s homes but also help raise awareness of our beautiful wildlife.” 

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Jordan Turner

jordan-turner-aotearoa-artistTRUE CALLING

At the age of 13, Jordan Turner’s foray into the fine art world was cut short by her family’s relocation from their home town of Cromwell to another country town. She’d only managed to have two private lessons. “My tutor handed me four pieces of paper and directed me to paint four faces without my brush leaving the paper. I feel like ever since that time, I have been mastering faces. He must have known that I was drawn to faces, as it’s exactly what I am drawn to now. The face and body and capturing the emotion, it’s just fascinating to me.” 

She claims her biggest inspiring factor to becoming an artist was when she was 16: “My Mum took my brother and I to the New Zealand Body Art Awards, in Auckland. That event left a lasting imprint and inspired me to research and then sign up and get accepted into studying makeup and film production, at the Design and Art College of New Zealand.” Jordan completed this certificate at the age of 20. From that point she furthered her skills by travelling and sketching her way around Australia and the UK, finally settling in Melbourne. “During this time I really started to focus on developing my creative craft. This involved leading various creative events, teaching workshops and displaying my artworks in galleries and art shows, throughout Melbourne.” 

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Alice Spittle

Alice Spittle-aotearoa-artistBeing an artist for Alice Spittle is all about being in nature, around harakeke, sharing time with her Nani’s and other artists, preparing fibre, weaving and most importantly, this is all so she can share and pass her knowledge to her children and future generations. “My children and husband are my motivation and constantly support and encourage me to follow my passion.”

Having studied Māori design and art at Te Wānanga O Raukawa (The University of Ōtaki) in 2001, with Pip Devonshire and Elaine Beven, Alice spent many years with influential weavers learning traditional arts practices. “In 2017 I went back to study level 5 raranga and focused on kete whakairo (finely woven patterned baskets) at Te Wānanga O Aotearoa with Morehu Flutey-Henare.” Her journey to becoming an artist began when she and her immediate family moved up to the Kapiti Coast. “My husband was working full time and I was home with our daughter. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, or even what I was passionate about. My mother-in-law brought me some paints and brushes and got me to try playing around with paint, which I really enjoyed. My stepfather and mother knew about the Te Wānanga O Raukawa and encouraged me to go check it out. I did and that was the start of me looking into raranga and painting. I had always been creative as my mother was always playing with clay or doing watercolours. so this felt comfortable for me.”

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Toni Tittleton

toni-tittleton-aotearoa-artistREFLECTIVE SCULPTING

Having always been creative and taking as many art classes as she could at school, but knowing nothing about glass casting, Toni Tittleton studied glass production and design at Whanganui Glass School, graduating with a diploma in 2012 and specialising in cast and kiln formed glass.

Pleased to have completed her diploma by the age of 20, once she had completed her studies she had to think outside the box – “I was challenged with the question all students face - what now? My goal was to create art for a living, however. I had no money for materials or to set up a studio.”

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