Tutors

Catherine Guevara is a Colombian visual artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. Her body of work comprises education, curation, research, writing and ceramics.
An accomplished visual artist in her country of origin, she moved to Auckland to deepen her practice by further understanding the relationship between Latin American and Pacific cultures. As curator for the consulate of Colombia, she developed educational programmes and art workshops that aimed to help with the settlement of the Latin American community in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She’s passionate about exploring with clay. Her artist’s work examines the process of ceramic-making, imbuing layers of clay with memory and history.

@cfromcat

Chloe Lam is an artist who recently moved to Auckland. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication (Graphic Design), and a Master's degree in Art and Education from Birmingham City University. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Education in Visual Art at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Chloe enjoys writing songs on piano, guitar and ukulele. She is interested in multiple disciplines, studying both arts and music in her Master's.

With more than 10 years teaching experience, she has taught a variety of art projects in schools and studios. Chloe uses multidisciplinary and innovative art activities to elicit each student’s talent and ability to express feelings, emotions and ideas.

@chloel.artist

chloelam.weebly.com

Montaña was born in Uruguay and was raised in Barcelona before recently moving to Tāmaki Makaurau in 2017, where she is currently based at Te Henga.

As an artist, she takes inspiration from the local native bush in the Waitakere Ranges, creating a range of jewellery made from the seeds and leaves from native trees such as Kauri and Pōhutukawa, titled The Fallen Leaf.

Her workshops often focus on enviromenatl awearness and sustainability, working with natural materials. Eloiza is a member of West Auckland Montessori Trust and collaborates on designing and delivering workshops for children.

@thefallenleafnz

www.eloizamontana.art

James Lawrence holds an MFA from Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles and is a well-known artist who has exhibited both nationally and internationally. His practice focuses on energy, movement and colour; what emerges represents a distillation of personal expression, gestural marks and discoveries. "For me, painting is letting go!”

In his popular workshops, he explores abstract painting concepts while sharing techniques to utilise paint, gel and additives. His teaching style will give students a base for further painting adventures with an emphasis on process and discovery.

@jameslawrenceart

jameslawrenceartist.com

Jean Stewart is a painter and arts educator. She has a Masters in Design and Painting. Jean says: 

"I have been painting for around 20 years. I love paint, colour, mark making and all the formal playful aspects of painting. Over the years I have investigated how to tell stories in paintings and how paintings can operate as memories. My current trajectory is to realise projects that take the painting outside of itself and connect to the community in various ways. For the last 2 years, I have been painting the Whau local hero portrait; the community votes and the winner gets their portrait painted. I have recently completed a wall painting in the Huia Hall, that will see the people of the area up on the wall in masquerade. Painting for me has been a constant challenging connecting force. It is always there and ready to be grappled with."

@jeanbuzz

jeanstewart.co.nz

Originally from the UK, Julie studied Metalcraft and Jewellery Design BA(Hons) before moving to New Zealand in 1998 where she pursued a career as a jewellery designer/maker selling her contemporary handmade jewellery in galleries across Auckland.

During this time, Julie's passion for learning led her to study a variety of disciplines such as printmaking, painting and stonecarving before rediscovering her passion for metal and sculpture.

Julie currently works out of her studio here at Corban Estate Arts Centre where she fabricates large scale steel sculpture. The main focus of her practise is on the relationship between light and space, creating elegant curvilnear forms where surfaces interplay with light and shadow. Present in all of Julie's work is an underlying current of symbolism, which represents her cultural background and strong connection to the natural environment.

Julie has had a desire to teach from a young age, and enjoys sharing her knowledge. During the 14 years that Julie has been a tutor, she has gained experience teaching adults, children, adults with special needs, youth and vulnerable youth. Julie's broad depth of knowledge in a variety of disciplines has led her to teach painting, printmaking, jewellery, mixed media and drawing.

Julie is currently Head Tutor of Alt Arts where she facilitates art classes for youth in Alternative Education. She also teaches 'Learn to Draw' weekly classes for children as well as weekend workshops for adults in a range of different disciplines.

Lina Castro, originally from Bogotá, Colombia, describes embroidery as a passion that makes her happy. "Thanks to embroidery, I have been able to connect creative worlds and discover new ones."

She has an Industrial Designer honour degree, her experience includes 4 years as a teacher at the Faculty of Design in Colombia and 11 years experience in product development and marketing.

Her story with embroidery started in 2015 and since then, her obsession has been to expand the possibilities of “embroidery beyond the hoop” turning the embroidered pieces into earrings, necklaces or key rings. That is also, the reason why she specializes in tiny stitches as the technique is used to embroider small garments.

She is constantly studying and using different techniques so her contemporary embroidery is changing and innovating to explore new ways to popularize this beautiful craft.

Her workshops are aimed at both beginning and experienced creators where they are encouraged to tell stories, experimenting with sewing techniques, various fabrics and different fibres.

@lin.island.creative

Maha has been carving bone and pounamu for over 10 years and has found that his art has opened doors to new places… and new people.. while at the same time …connecting him back to old places, and to his old people. Maha is of Waikato Tainui, Rangitane, Ngati Kauwhata, Ngati Toa and Ngai Tahu descent and his hapu in Te Wai Pounamu is Ngati Huirapa of Arowhenua in Temuka.
Maha has a bachelor's degree in Creative Arts and a post-graduate diploma in Cross-Cultural Supervision and is the Director at Aotearoa Bone and Stone Carving. 

Maha's workshops specialise in crafting contemporary Taonga. 

“Following my passion for craft; I found purpose, direction and have strengthened my identity. I feel privileged and grateful to be able to share my passion for creating Taonga from beef bone and Pounamu. I enjoy the beauty of the materials. Simple forms with complex interweaving binding on Taonga that create an intrinsic balance with my work."

@absca.nz 

absca.nz

Mandy Patmore is a multi-media environmental artist and educator who lives in Karekare, on Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s west coast. She has a passionate relationship with her local environment and her work reflects this, looking at the past, present and future of our land; focusing largely on deforestation and habitat loss in Aotearoa. 

Patmore highlights the plight of many endangered native species, exploring the human impact on our landscape and themes of colonisation. In 2019, she managed a hugely successful research project on Pekapeka tou roa - Long Tailed Bats, linking artists with scientists, curating an exhibition in response to the project.

She is also the Creative Director for Kākano Youth Arts Collective, onsite at Corban Estate Arts Centre.

@mandypatmoreartist

Michelle is a seasoned crafter with a primary focus on Macramé, Leather making, Dot art and Cloisonné enamel. Having relocated to Aotearoa in 2023, she brings a rich tapestry of experience in various crafting disciplines.

Her crafting journey goes beyond personal pursuits, spanning three years of dedicated workshop facilitation in China. Michelle's commitment to sharing her craft extends to her current role as a tutor at The Re-Creator, an organization deeply devoted to upcycling.

Michelle actively leads numerous craft and art workshops in libraries across Tāmaki Makaurau. Her workshops are not just about crafting and art; they are immersive experiences that blend creativity with sustainability.

Explore the world of crafting with Michelle, where each workshop is not just an artistic endeavour but a sustainable journey into the realms of Macramé, leather making, and the timeless art of Cloisonné enamel.

Ni sa bula Vinaka!

Auckland artist and educator Rowena Rooney has been creating mosaic for over 20 years. Her designs are often inspired by her Fijian heritage, which she is very passionate about.

Early in 2019 she had a solo exhibition, Masi in my Blood here at Corban Estate Art Centre which drew from Rowena’s Melanesian roots, exploring how Masi and Masi designs were woven into contemporary practice. Her personal connection with Masi, through passed-on tradition, culture and language had a powerful presence in the works.

With a strong background in arts education, Rowena's workshops focus on building new skills, introduction to new materials and positive creative experiences.

Tesserae Tales of Aotearoa exhibition at Pātaka Art + Museum.

@_blueturtledesign

Sarah Cowie is a multi-disciplinary artist and art tutor based in Tāmaki Makaurau. In 2021 she graduated from Elam School of Fine Arts with a Master of Fine Arts achieved with Honours.

Her art practice explores the use of puppetry and fabric art, using digital media such as video and photography to perform her puppet works. She also works with collage and illustration, and is influenced by film and theatre. Her practice experiments with colour, texture, character, and materiality.

Sarah enjoys running workshops, inspired by her art practice, that play with puppetry, sewing, fabric, and creature creation. She also loves to experiment with materials and methods of art-making to find new ways of developing her practice, and sharing her knowledge and love for art with others.

Instagram: @sarahjcowieart

Sofia Athineou is a full-time artist of Greek heritage. She works mainly with glass, a medium with many sensual and optical qualities. Her sculptures capture the surrounding nature of the Waitakere Ranges, where her studio is located and the organic forms of elemental forces like wind, fire and water. The constant movement and natural patterns of these elements are captured in her sculptures. Sofia is fascinated by the way glass looks and feels and its natural ability to reflect and distort light and our perception of it.

A recent public commission for Auckland Transport Maungawhau/Mount Eden Station is currently in construction and due to be open to the public later in 2023. For it, Athineou has created red glass triangles representing lava and the god of volcanic activity incorporating cultural narratives and the geological context of the station area with the technical and functional needs of a train station.

@sofiaathineou

www.sofiaathineou.com

The Sur-Collective have developed and designed workshops, educational frameworks, publications, exhibitions, and creative activities for the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the Consulate of Colombia in Auckland, Studio One Toi Tū, Depot Artspace, Auckland Studio Potters, The Clay Centre, Corban Estate Art Centre, and Auckland Council. 

Jesu Vasquez-Lesser is a Chilean visual artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. Her artistic practice includes sculpture, puppetry, mixed textile techniques, and oil painting. Her interdisciplinary artistic work is based on experimenting with different media and forms of expression. She is finishing her PhD at the University of Auckland, researching religious art, collective memory, and grief. The theory and the practice come together in what she considers to be political art. Her aesthetic mixes women from the feminist movement in Chile, migration, religious, iconography and grief in all its forms. 

Catherine Guevara is a Colombian visual artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. Her body of work comprises education, curation, research, writing and ceramics. 
An accomplished visual artist in her country of origin, she moved to Auckland to deepen her practice by further understanding the relationship between Latin American and Pacific cultures. As curator for the consulate of Colombia, she developed educational programmes and art workshops that aimed to help with the settlement of the Latin American community in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She's passionate about exploring with clay. Her artist’s work examines the process of ceramic-making, imbuing layers of clay with memory and history.  

Juliana Durán is a Colombian practising visual artist who came to Aotearoa, New Zealand after receiving a scholarship to complete a Master in Fine Arts at ELAM, Auckland University. Her most recent achievement was receiving the Small Sculpture Prize in 2022 by Perpetual Guardian in association with Te Motu Vineyard and the Waiheke Community Art Gallery. 
Durán’s work aims to explore the capabilities and particularities of found materials as a response to “De-growth” and upcycling, a central value within her practice, the relationship between place and space, social constructions around the sense of belonging, and the conception of home. 

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Sur-Collective

@quiltra.artspace

@cfromcat

@_hulianaa_